Two Lives Combine
by charmed4lifekaren
Summary: Rick Castle and Malcolm Reynolds are one in the same. Mal left the future to protect those he loves and became Rick Castle, what happens when his two lives combine?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

**Disclamer: I own nothing, everything belongs to its rightful owners and I'm making no profit. **

**AN**- normally I'm not one for cross over stories but I recently began to read some Firefly/Castle ones and this idea wouldn't leave me alone. A few things you need to know.

First: this is set in the Castle vers about where we are now with the change that both Castle's and Kate's secrets have come out and they have been dating about a month.

Second: in the Firefly vers it is about 9 months after Serenity (Movie) there is one big difference which is that Wash and Shepard Book didn't die. Wash was seriously hurt so River did take over as pilot why he heals.

What Castle/Mal will be called will depend on who is talking to him and whether he is acting more like Castle or Mal

Hope you enjoy please review and let me know what you think I'll upload the second chapter when it is done. I have the beginning and they end of this story planed out, it's what happens I'm between that isn't completely figured out.

Castle's office in the loft, it is early morning and Castle is looking a picture of his old crew taken just after Simon, River and Shepard Book joined them, one of the few possessions he was able to bring back to the past with him. He is so engrossed in the picture that he doesn't notice Martha walking in.

"You need to tell them." Martha says once she realises what he is looking at.

"Tell who what?" Castle asks surprised as he didn't hear his mother come in and confused as to who and what she is talking about.

"Kate, Alexis, Ryan, Esposito, Lanie even Jenny, they deserve to know who you are where you come from, you owe them that." Martha tells him as she closes the door to his office just in case Alexis wakes up and comes downstairs.

"How can I tell them that I'm from 500 years in the future, how can I tell Alexis that I have lied to her. How can I tell Kate? I love her so much I can't lose her." Castle begins to tell his mother but is cut off.

"More than you loved…" Martha begins but is cut off by her son. "Inara." Castle says as he realises that is the name his mother is about to say, Martha nods.

"Yes, Inara will always be important to me and a part of me will always love her in some way Alexis name is proof of that.." Castle begins to explain but is cut off by his mother.

"Alexis Inara Castle." Martha says with a smile.

"But Kate, Kate is the woman I love the person who is my other half the person I belong with, I don't believe in much anymore but I do believe in that." Castle explains.

"Then you have your answer kid, you have to tell her. Alexis two I understand why you didn't tell her when she was younger but she is going to 18 in a couple of months she deserves the truth from you. The boys and Lanie they have deserve to know too they treat you like a brother you own them the truth." Martha tells her son knowing that it is going to be incredible hard for him but it will be worse if he isn't honest with the people who are most important to him.

"What am I to say to them Mother?" Castle as angrily as he stands up and starts to pace his office. "My name isn't Richard Castle its Malcolm Reynolds my mother and I came here 20 years ago from 500 years in the future because a government force called the alliance tried to kill her because of information I released to the public and the only way to keep her and everyone else I care about safe is to use a 1 trip time machine to come back to the past and doing so I became 17 again and had to grow up again " Castle says showing his mother how ridiculous it sounds.

"You have to kiddo the longer you wait the more it's going to hurt in the long run"

Castle stares out his window and looks up at the sky remembering his other life the life he doesn't think much about anymore. After a few minutes silence he finally says "You right, I'll invite the boys Lanie, Jenny and Kate over tomorrow night and I'll tell them."

"Invite Jim to, you know Kate won't want to keep this from her father, plus she may need him." Martha tells her son and before he can respond his IPhone goes off with Kate's face coming up on the caller id.

"Richard Castle here either your missing me or there's a dead body." Castle says trying to sound as normal as possible and after a few minutes he says "I'll meet your there." He says then hangs up and faces his mother.

"I'm going to invite them sometime today, can you ask Alexis when she wakes to make sure she has nothing on tomorrow night starting about 7:30." Richard asks his mother.

Martha nods as Rick grabs his phone puts the photo is his hidden safe along with everything else about the future, a safe that not even Alexis knows exists. Once he does that he leaves his office and heads to the closet by the door to grab his jacket glad that he is already dressed.

"You're making the right choice." Martha tells her son just as he opens the front door.

"I sure hope so." Rick says sighing as he walks out the door worried about how everyone is going to react.

The crime scene turns to be Central park, as he is walking through the part Rick is surprised about how nervous he is about giving out a simple invitation especially after everything he has done.

"Kate." Castle says noticing who the figure in front of him is.

Kate turns around and smiles once she realises who it is "Hey" she says happily as she stands still so he can catch up to her.

"Here's your coffee." He says handing her the coffee in his left hand then says "And here's your morning kiss." He says leaning in and giving her a kiss.

"Great morning" Kate says with a smile as they break away from their kiss.

"So who's the vic?" Castle asks as they begin to walk to the scene together.

"Not a lot of details all I know is there was a body of a woman found about an hour ago." Kate tells him checking her notebook for the details.

The pair continues to walk to the crime scene together and Kate notices that Castle is strangely quiet.  
>"Hey Rick, you ok?" Kate asks worried about him.<p>

"Huh, I'm fine." Castle says and Kate gives him a look saying 'I don't believe you' realising that he has to come up with a lie he simply says " I was up late last night writing I'll be fine once the caffeine kicks in. " Kate nods excepting the excuse as she know he has meant to do some writing for a while.

"What have we got Lanie?" Kate asks a few seconds later once they arrive at the scene.

"Caucasian woman aged 25-30, single stab wound to the stomach TOD between 11 last night and 4 this morning, I'll know more when I get her back to the lab." Lanie tells the pair looking up from the body of a young thin woman with long curly dark brown almost black hair, who looks quite beautiful.

"So it was long and painful." Kate notes then turn to Ryan and Esposito "Any identity of the vic? Any witnesses?"

"Drivers license says name is Prudence Aaron she's 27 works at the museum as an appraiser, she is married and her husband Harrison Aaron who works for a law firm down town and he is on his way to the station." Ryan tells Kate looking at the notes.

"There seems to be no witnesses, she was found 5:00am this morning by an early morning jogger." Esposito explains.

"Lack of blood pool means she was moved, so someone stabbed her in the stomach waited for her to bleed out before moving her, that's takes a special kind of viciousness to watch that she would be crying out in pain." Castle notes as he has experienced a stab to the stomach on a couple of occasions and does remember how much it hurts.

"Castle's right Ryan, Esposito I want you to canvas the park police see if they noticed any cars early this morning, and get the security tapes from this morning they may help. Castle and I will head back to the precinct to talk to her husband." The boys turn to leave but Castle cuts them off as he feels it's now or never "Wait Esposito, Lanie, Ryan, Kate your all invited over for dinner tomorrow night at the loft starting about 7:30 and Ryan bring Jenny and Kate bring you dad." Castle tells them.

"Sure I'll be there." Ryan, Esposito and Lanie say though Lanie looks confusingly at Kate to see if she knows what is going on.

"What's going on Rick?" Kate asks confused.

"We haven't had the chance to hang out lately we have been busy with trying to stay on Gates good side as so much to do that I thought that this might be a good idea for us all to spend some time together." Castle explains saying the explanation he worked out on his cab ride to the crime scene.

"But my dad really?" Kate asks still suspicious.

"When I told Mother I was thinking about inviting you all over she said I should invite your dad to. You know how those two like to talk." Castle quickly improvises as it's not a complete lie as his mother was the one who suggested Jim come to.

"Ok, let's go Rick." Kate says sounding like she believes him but Castle can tell that he is going to get interrogated on the way to the precinct.

Kate turn to head back to her car and Castle follows letting out a discrete sigh of relief but thinking to himself that the easy part is over, the hard part is still to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Thank you to everyone who added to alerts/Reviewed. Please, Please review. **

Kate and Castle are in Kate's car driving back to the precinct and Kate begins to try and figure out what is going on with Rick, and why the sudden dinner invitation.

"So Rick what is going? You've been acting odd all day and now you invite us all including my father to dinner tomorrow, its odd." Kate asks worried about how he is acting ever since they saw each other that morning.

"I want to spend time with my friends, have some fun." He explains then adds in his head "And tell you all I'm from the future."

"You sure that's all it is?" Kate asks.

"Yes"

Kate accepts the answer but realises that she isn't going to get any more out of him to the dinner so lets it go for the moment.

"So any ideas on a suspect?" Castle asks wanting to get the subject off of him.

"Not really hopefully we'll know more when we talk to the husband." Kate responds and the two spend the rest of the ride back to the precinct in comfortable silence.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Once they arrive at the precinct Castle and Kate head straight into the conference room to interview they husband. Mr Aaron is a man who looks like he may be a few years older than his wife he has short dusty blond hair and a small amount of stubble.

"Mr Aaron, I'm so sorry for your loss I'm detective Kate Beckett and this is Richard Castle." Kate introduces as both Kate and Castle sit down opposite Mr Aaron.

"Do you know what happened to my wife?" Harrison asks in a tone Kate recognizes all too well the voice of a broken heart.

"You wife was found in the park this morning the ME says that time of death is estimated between 11pm last night and 4am this morning do you have any idea where she was last night?" Kate asks.

"Um she called me about 9 last night saying she may have to pull an all-nighter working on a appraising a new exhibit so that the museum knew how much it was worth in case of something happened to it." He explains then says suddenly "Lisa."

"Lisa who?" Kate asks confused.

"Lisa Winicca she works with Prue if Prue was pulling an all-nighter then most likely Lisa was two, Lisa would know what happened." Harrison explains.

Kate nods "Has your wife been acting out of character lately? Has she mentioned anything odd?" Kate asks..

"No, were the happiest we have been we were talking about starting a family. Who would do that to her?" Harrison asks before breaking down in tears.

"I don't know Mr Aaron, but I attend to find out." Kate tells him.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

By 2 o'clock Kate and Castle have finished interviewing the husband and don't feel like he is a suspect at the present moment in time. They are just finishing putting the information on the murder board when Ryan and Esposito walk up.

"Got anything?" Kate asks the pair.

"Red commodore entered the park at 3:30 am heading in the general direction of the body it's too far to see the license plate though." Esposito tells Kate.

"Ok, you two try and see if you can get a better angle or get the car on another camera Castle and I will go talk to the people she works with as that is where she was meant to be last night." Kate explains, then adds "And follow this down it's the husbands alibi." She says handing them a piece of paper with the name of a business associate he claimed he was having dinner and drinks with. Just before Kate and Castle are about to leave to head to the office they get interrupted by Gates.

"Got anything detective?" She asks crossing her arms.

"Our vic was meant to be working all night were on our way there now to see what happened, the boys may have found our car on the security tapes there cheeking the other cameras of the park to see if they can find any other angels and maybe get a license plate." Kate explains to the captain.

"I would like this case solved quickly detective." Gates says simply before heading back to her office.

Kate and Castle look at each other and head to the elevator.

"So Castle you sure that you're ok coming to the museum you did get cursed last time." Kate teases.

"Very funny detective." Castle says smiling back "I'll be fine I'll just make sure not to look in any mommy's coffins." Castle jokes back.

Kate smiles at his lame joke.

**Castle/Firefly Castle/Firefly **

Arriving at the museum castle and Kate head straight up to the appraising floor to talk to Prudence's colleagues. Arriving at the desk to the office space Kate pulls out her badge as she walks up to the receptionists a young woman with dark blond hair who looks like she is still in collage and says "I'm Detective Kate Beckett this is Richard Castle were here about the murder of Prudence Aaron, we want to talk to the people she worked with"

"Of course detective, I'll take you to Lisa Winnica she worked with Prue on just about everything." The receptionists tells her.

"Thank you." Kate says as both she and Castle follow her.

The follow the receptionists down the hall and into the third office on the left side.

"Thank you." Castle says as they both enter the office.

"Lisa Winnica," Kate says the woman who looks like she is about the same age as Prue and has long curly strawberry blond hair.

"Yes" Lisa responds.

"I'm detective Kate Beckett this is Richard Castle, were here to talk to you about Prue." Kate says.

"Yes, I assumed so please take a seat." Lisa says shaking both of their hands then pointing to the two seats opposite her.

"According to her husband Prue was working all night last night were you here as well?" Kate asks.

"No."

"Is that unusual her husband lead us to believe that when Prue is working late you usually are as well?" Castle asks remembering what the husband said.

"Usually that is correct but I had a class last night it started at 9 ended about midnight but I stayed to about 1 getting some help on an assignment then I caught a cab home, I'm taking a course in business as I want to start up a small appraisal company someday, I offered to stay and help Prue with the exhibit but she said to go that she could do it by herself, when I left at 7:30 she was happily working she loved what she did." Lisa explains and Kate and Castle can tell that she is upset about what happened to her friend.

"Sorry to have to ask you this but do you have the details of your class we need to make sure." Kate asks wanting to make sure that she isn't a suspect.

"Yeah I should have it somewhere." Lisa says digging around in her bag and pulling out a piece of paper.

"This has my tutors details on it, he'll be able to tell you I was in the class." She says and even though she is trying to sound polite anger can clearly be herd in her voice.

"Thank you for your time Ms Winnica." Kate says as she and Castle get up to leave.

"Detective." Lisa says stopping them before they can leave.

"Yes."

"Find out what happened to my friend." Lisa says and Kate nods.

Kate and Castle head to the elevator and once the doors close Castle asks "What do you think?"

"I think that she is innocent though she is acting a little suspicious, being so specific about the time of her class and where she was at each time without me asking , but I don't think it's because she had anything to do with the murder, I just don't know why." Kate tells Castle but before he has a chance to respond Kate's phone goes off "Hey Lanie, um, ok, we'll be right there" Kate says before hanging up.

"What's up?" Castle asks.

"Lanie wants to see us." Kate says before pulling out her phone to make another call "Espo I need you to check an alibi Prue's work college, her names Lisa Winnica she said that she was with her tutor from 9 pm last night to 1am then caught a cab home, yeah he did thanks." Kate says then turns to Castle "Harrison was with business associates from 8pm to 2am at which time he was put in a cab." Kate says.

"He could have still done it her two Lanie said the time of death was between 11-4." Castle reminds her.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

"What you got Lanie?" Kate asks

"Narrowed time of death to between 11 and 2:30." Lanie tells them.

"The husband is defiantly out then." Castle realises, the notes Kate has an odd look on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"Even if she was killed at 2:30 that's still an hour before she was brought to the park, why did it take so long." Kate explains and Castle can tell that she is confused by the action and annoyed that she can't figure it out.

"I can help with that." Lanie says and both Castle and Kate turn to her.

"When I removed her clothes I found an address for an address in Queens and a cab receipt, if she was in Queens that could explain why it took so long for the person to get her to the park." Lanie explains.

"What time is the receipt for?" Castle asks.

"The cab picked her up at 10:45 she got dropped off at 11:30." Lanie explains.

"45 minutes that's about normal for that time of the night." Kate notes and Castle nods, they turn to leave but Lanie stops them

"So writer boy what do I where to this mysterious dinner of yours?" Lanie asks and Kate becomes more interested wondering if she will get anything out of him.

"Casual is fine Lanie." Castle responds then he and Kate leaves

"Casual? So you do just want us to all hang out." Kate says looking at Castle beginning to slightly believe him.

"Finally the woman gets it." Castle jokes and earns a slap on the arm from Kate for the 'the woman' comment.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Kate and Castle are standing at the murder board they have just added the information they have gotten from Lanie and they are talking about what she would have gone to Queens.

"Why would she catch a cab out to Queens at that time of night?" Kate asks confused.

"Maybe she got a call from an arts thief saying that if she didn't meet with him he would kill her, so she went but had a recorded so he killed her." Castle says giving a true Castle theory.

"Killer Art thief really?" Kate asks sarcastically.

"It could happen." Castle responds.

Before Kate has a chance to respond Ryan and Esposito walk up to them "So Lisa Winnica she was dropped at her upper west side apartment a 2, and there in no way she could get to queens in half an hour to fit with our kill zone and it doesn't look like she left after that so she alibies out." Ryan explains.

Kate looks at the murder board annoyed at the fact that they have no suspect "Ok I want everything on Prue Harrison, financials, phone records anything I want to know why she was going to Queens." Kate tells Ryan and Esposito who hurry off to get the required warrants.

"I'm sorry Castle but we're not going to be able to make our date tonight." Kate says sadly as she was looking forward to their date.

Castle is confused for a second as he forgot that they had a date today then says "It's fine Kate how about I go and get us some Chinese and bring it back here were we can enjoy it why were waiting for the warrants to come through." Castle suggests.

"That would be perfect, but you know you will have to end up getting some for the boys." Kate points out walking over and standing right next to Castle suitable grabbing his hand.

"Yeah I know." Castle says then looks around making sure Gates isn't anywhere near before kissing Kate on the cheek. "Be back soon."

"Castle not where Gates can see." Kate hisses at his retreating figure.

"What's life without a little risk detective." Castle says with a charming smile before getting on the elevator.

**Castle/Firefly Castle/Firefly**

Within an hour Castle manages to go to his favourite Chinese restaurant order in fluent Chinese, something he does miss speaking time to time, and get back to the precinct.

"You're food arrives." Castle says happily as soon as walks into the bullpen.

"Finally." Ryan and Esposito say grabbing the food from each of his hands.

"Finally, I was gone an hour that is a record." Castle objects annoyed.

"Relax Rick you know what those two are like when they're hungry." Kate says putting her arm around him.

"What happened to not where Gates can see?" Castle asks.

"She went downtown for a meeting" Kate explains.

"We better get in there before those two eat it all." Castle reminds her.

"Good point." Kate says as they walk together into the conference room.

The four partners laugh and enjoy their dinner together.

"So what's the deal bro, you inviting us all over tomorrow because you discovered an government secrete that you want to tell us so where accessories." Esposito jokes.

Rick unfortunately puts noodles into his mouth as Esposito says that so he begins to cough and choke slightly. "No nothing like that, I just felt it was time we all spent time together away from her." He explains simply but admittedly a little shocked as Esposito joking is close to the truth.

Kate looks at him a little suspiciously but they are interrupted by Ryan's phone going off .

"We'll have her phone records within the hour." He explains reading the text message he just got.

The four enjoy the rest of their dinner Castle is positive that Esposito and Ryan didn't find anything suspicious about his behaviour but is positive that Kate did. Just as the four are finishing dinner Ryan gets another text message saying that the phone records have been emailed to him.

"Let's go." Kate says and the four all crowd around Ryan's computer.

Ryan logs on to his computer then onto his emails and opens the attachment of the records.

"Ok she received a call from a payphone in queens at 10:30 last night that was the last call she made or received." Ryan tells the others.

"So she received a call from Queens at 10:30 then she catches a cab out there at 10:45 that can't be a coincident." Castle points out.

"Your right, we've got to talk to the husband again see if he knows the significant of Queens." Kate says.

"That's going to have to wait to the morning its nearly 10." Esposito informs them.

"You're right go home I'll see you in the morning." Kate says looking at the boys.

"Don't need to tell me twice, Castle what do I tell Jenny to where tomorrow night?" Ryan asks knowing how angry Jenny would be with him if he didn't ask.

"Casual." He says to the boys who then walk off. "Why do people keep asks me that?" Castle asks Kate confused.

"Because it's you, when you have a party its usually costume or fancy." Kate reminds him.

"This isn't a party though it's a quite get together of friends." Castle says to Kate then follows her to her desk.

"Whatever you say Rick." Kate responds and Castle can tell that she still doesn't believe him. "So you heading home two?" Castle asks knowing that she doesn't always go home when the boys do.

"Yeah just got to make a few nots first, I wold asks you to come but judging by how tied you have been all day you should go home and sleep." Kate tells Rick.

"Your right, I'll see you tomorrow though." Rick says giving Kate a kiss goodbye. Then walks over to the elevator "Remember asks you dad about tomorrow night," He adds just as the elevator doors close so she doesn't have a chance to respond.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/ Castle **

As soon as Rick walks into the loft he notices Alexis and his Mother both sitting on the couch reading different books, so he walks over and sits down between them.

"Hey dad." Alexis says giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey Pumpkin, Mother." Castle says looking at his mother.

"So is everyone coming tomorrow?" Martha asks hoping that he didn't chicken out.

"Yes Mother, the boys and girls are defiantly coming and Kate just has to ask her dad." Castle responds.

"What's going on tomorrow night dad? What's with the out of the blue dinner?" Alexis asks feeling like does Kate that there is something suspicious about it.

"I invited everyone over so we all can have a nice evening together." Castle explains to his daughter.

"You're not planning to propose to Kate are you? Because as much as I love her, its two soon for both of you, despite how much I know you love each other you've only been dating a month." Alexis asks trying to figure out a reason why her father has organized a sudden dinner.

"What no, I'm not going to propose to Kate tomorrow night." Castle responds in complete shock about his daughters assumption.

"Good, like I said I wouldn't be against it in the future it's just too soon at the moment." Alexis says with a smile then closes her book "Night Dad." She says giving her father another kiss good night then hugs her Grandmother "Night Gram." And she heads up stairs.

Once he hears his daughters door close he turns to his mother "Proposing that's what she thinks I know it's too soon, not just for Kate but for me two I wouldn't propose this quickly." Castle says in horror.

"I don't know kid you do get married to a psychopath that you just met that night." Martha reminds her son.

"That was a completely different situation, Hang on how do you know that?" Castle asks in confusion as he knows that he has never told his mother what happened with Saffron.

"Think about it my boy, who was I spending most my time with in the time between you rescuing me off of Whitefall and coming here." Martha asks her son.

"Inara." Castle says a look of horror realisation coming to his face worried about what else she told his mother.

Seeing the look on her sons face Martha can't help but laugh though to Castle's ears it sounds like an evil cackle.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

The next morning Castle is making breakfast for his mother and daughter, though he isn't paying too much attention to it as he is worried about how the dinner tonight is going to go, more specifically how what he has to tell everyone after dinner is going to go.

Martha walks downstairs into the kitchen and sees her son attempting to make breakfast though not really paying attention, so she realises that she needs to get his attention "Richard, Richard." She try's saying but her son is still completely zoned out so after first making sure Alexis isn't coming down the stairs she says "Malcolm" which makes her son snap out of his zoned out state.

"What, Mother." Rick says not even noticing that his mother used his other name to get his attention.

"You're burning the bacon." Martha informs him pointing to the saucepan,

"Oh Goram ." Rick says annoyed turning down the heat.

"Why are you swearing in Chinese Dad?" Alexis asks walking down the stairs.

"I began to burn the bacon and how do you know I was swearing I know I began to teach you how to speak Chinese from an early age but I don't remember teaching you how to swear." Rick asks dishing out the breakfast that hasn't been burnt.

"That's how I know your swearing." Alexis says with a smile sitting down at the kitchen bench.

"What are you doing up and dressed I didn't think you had school today." Rick asks his daughter.

"I don't, Dr Parish texted me this morning asking if I could give her a hand this morning." Alexis explains beginning to eat her fruit.

"Ah ok, when do you have to leave?" Rick asks his daughter.

"Now." Alexis says looking at her watch and quickly gabbing one of the pieces of tost her dad just made to take with her.

"Be careful, love you." Rick says walking around and giving his daughter a hug.

"Love you two Dad, I'll see you tonight." Alexis says returning the hug "Bye Gram." Alexis says before walking out of the loft.

"Hope she's still saying that tonight." Rick says walking over and standing next to his mother.

"Malcolm Richard Alexander Reynolds, how can you be so stupid that girl loves and adores you, yes she may be angry at first but when you explain your reasoning she will understand there is nothing you can do to make her stop loving you." Martha says angrily and shocked that her son thinks that his daughter will stop loving him when she discovers his secret.

"Full name you must be serious." Rick jokes though he is still worried, then after a few second of silence adds "I know Alexis she is going to want to know everything I did, who I was then and this world is so different from the future she isn't going to understand why I did what I did." Rick reminds his mother.

"Explain it to her, I'll back you up I know what it was like I remember it all too well I know what the Alliance did what they are capable off, I was there the day Shadow was destroyed just got off before it became a ball of black ash, I know why you did what you did Malcolm, I said it before and I will say it again, I raised a good son, that is something I will always believe." Martha said then surprises her son by giving him a hug.

"Thanks Mother" Rick says, the decides to talk about something he has noticed "you know you don't call me Malcolm much these days, it's usually Richard." Mal says to his mother.

Martha is quite for a few minutes then answers "I guess it's just gotten easier to call you Richard, you seem like you have forgotten Malcolm, but I haven't." Martha tells his son.

"I have forgotten him, he's still inside off me but your right I'm more Richard now than I once was. When we first arrive and for years I was still Mal, it sadness me but I guess it's to be expected after 20 years. Is that why you kept Martha as you name who you wouldn't forget who you were?" Richard asks his mother.

"In a way yes, we first came here you were a kid again and I let you decided that you wanted to go by you middle name but I couldn't change mine, it's the name reason I choses Granny's name for our last name, and I know that it's part of the reason you chose Nan's as your writing name." Martha says referring to her mother who's maiden name was Eliza Castle.

Rick doesn't know what to say so he doesn't say anything until he is interrupted by his phone "Richard Castle, he'll be there when, I'll be right there." Castle says.

"I got to go, the husband of the victim is going to be at the precinct in half an hour." Rick tells his mother.

"By all means go, I'll see you tonight." Martha tells her son.

"For when all hell is going to break loss you mean." Rick jokes.

"You have survived hell Malcolm I'm sure you can survive tonight." Martha says just as her son is about to leave

"Wish I had you optimism Mother." Rick says just before he closes the door.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Castle stops off at his usual coffee shop to get his and Kate's coffee before heading to the precinct once he arrives he spots Kate who is standing by the murder board staring, Rick walks up to her and hands her the coffee.

"Thanks." Kate says giving him a smile.

"Husband here yet?" Castle asks.

"Should be here any minute." Kate responds.

"Good." Castle says taking a sip of his coffee.

"So I talked to my Dad he is all in for tonight." Kate tells Castle.

"Good." Castle says smiling back knowing that due to the bomb he is going to be dropping tonight Kate may need her father.

"Beckett." Kate and Castle here Esposito say from the other side of the room, they both turn to see him escorting the Harrison Aaron into the conference room.

"Let's go see what he knows." Kate says as they begin to walk to the conference room.

"Right beside you." Castle tells her.

Castle and Kate walk into the conference room and Kate shakes hands with Mr Aaron.

"Do you know what happened to my wife?" He asks quickly.

"We have a lead but were not sure what it can mean, did you wife know anyone who lives in Queens?" Kate asks the distort husband.

The husband looks confused for a minute then answers "My brother but we have spoken to him since Christmas."

"Could you wife have stayed in contact with him even if you didn't?" Kate asks.

"I don't think so, My brother is an addict he showed up on Christmas strung out and asking for money I didn't give him any and things got Physical and my friends helped me throw him out." Harrison explains.

"Would you wife go out to Queens for any reason if he called?" Kate asks.

"If he said he really needed help she would, she was that kind of person she was, she cared." Harrison tells Kate and Castle.

Kate looks at Castle both agreeing that the brother is a suspect.

"What is your brother's name Mr Harrison and do you know where he was last living by any chance?" Kate asks.

"His name is Victor he inherited our parents' house after they died, last I heard he was living there." Harrison says then picks up a piece of paper to write something "That's the address."

"Thank you Mr Harrison. We'll let you know what happens." Kate tells him.

"Just find out what happened to my wife detective." Harrison responds.

Harrison walks off.

Kate and Castle go to Kate's computer and types the name Victor Aaron into the database to see if he has any priors.

"Victor Aaron, a charge from drug possession and assault." Castle notes reading over Kate's shoulder. "It's a long way to go from assault to murder." He adds.

"Not completely we've seen it before Rick." Kate reminds him.

"Husbands know anything about Queens?" Esposito ask walking up with Ryan.

"Yeah he has a brother who has a record that they are both estranged from, who last he knew lived out there and the address is in the same neighbourhood that our vic go dropped off at." Kate informs the boys.

"Let's go." Ryan says and Kate nod as her and Castle begin to follow the boys out.

"Sorry Castle this puts a damper on your whole murdering arts thief idea." Kate jokes.

"Could still be possible." Castle responds.

Kate just shakes her head at his behaviour.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

In two cars the three detectives and man from the future take the 45 minute drive out to the address in queens. They arrive at a house than once would have been a nice family home but now looks quite dilapidated.

"Doesn't look like anyone lives here now." Ryan notes as he gets out of the car.

"Perfect place for a killer." Castle reminds the detectives.

"Castle's right, be one alert, you two go around the back we'll go in the front." Kate says referring to her and Castle.

Quietly the boys breakoff and go around the back as Kate and Castle head in the fount the clear the fount hall but when they enter the lounge room they see a huge blood stain that looks like it is about a day old.

"The backs clear." Esposito informs Kate as he and Ryan come in the back.

"Upstairs." Kate tells them quietly and the four quietly head upstairs.

After searching through the upper level of the house they realises that he isn't here.

"I'm going to call Lanie get her to come out here and identify the blood." Kate says pulling out her phone.

45 minutes later both Lanie and Alexis arrives to test the blood.

"What did you find Kate?" Lanie asks as they walk in.

"Big blood stain the lounge room as far as I can tell it is about a day old and is a lot." Kate explains the pair.

"Hey Alexis." Kate says noticing the teen.

"Hey Kate, haven't seen you around the loft in a few days." Alexis say to Kate giving her a smile.

"Been busy, speaking of the loft do you know what your Dad's mysterious dinner is about tonight." Kate asks as the three walk into the lounge room.

"Alexis," Castle says smiling at his daughter then says "What is the big deal about me having a dinner; I have parties all the time." Castle says confused as to why everyone is so suspicious about him having a dinner even though he does have an ulterior motive, they don't know that.

"Because usually you give more than two days' notice." Kate reminds him.

"I'm being spontaneous Kate." Castle says though the truth is he is worried that if he gave more notice that he wouldn't go through with it.

"Uh huh whatever you say." Kate says to Castle then turns to Lanie and Alexis "What can you tell me about the blood?" She asks as they collected a sample and tested it in Lanie's kit.

"Alexis do you want to handle this one?" Lanie asks.

"Really?" Alexis asks excited and Lanie nods "The blood is the same as the victim A+ we'll know for sure once we can run DNA, the amount of blood is also consistent as with this amount of blood loss the victim would die from blood loss." Alexis says sounding completely professional, "Did I forget anything Dr Parish?" She then asks Lanie.

"No you did good sweetie, DNA is going to take at least 24 hours for results though in 4 I will have phenotyping so I'll be able to tell you the hair colour, eye colour and sex off the victim." Lanie tells Kate and the others.

"Call me when you have that figured out." Kate says then turns to the Castle and the boys "Lets head back to the precinct.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

On the way back to the precinct Kate, Castle, Ryan and Esposito stop at Remy's to get a late lunch before arriving back at the precinct and being questioned by Gates.

"What do you know?" Gates asks.

"We know our victim went out to Queens in the time that is our kill zone, we talked to her husband and discovered that her brother in law who has a record for assault lives out there we went to his house and discovered a blood stain that fits in the time frame and the blood type of the victim, Dr Parish is running phenotyping to get more information and is also running DNA tests." Kate explains to Gates.

"What about his brother in law? Any idea's where he is?" Gates asks Kate.

"No Sir. I was just about to put a warrant out for his arrested as even if he didn't kill our victim with the amount of blood that is in his living room there is no way that the person would have survived." Kate tells Gates.

"Write up what you have got so far and Keep me informed." Gates says before leaving to go into her office.

Kate and Castle walk to Kate's desk and take their usual seats. Kate begins to write up what she knows so far and makes the call to put the warrant out on Victor Aaron as Castle plays on his phone. A couple of hours later Kate gets the call from Lanie about the results of the tests that she ran.

"So?" Castle asks once she got off the phone.

"Everything else matches the victim, without DNA Lanie can't be positive but she is reasonable sure that the blood belongs to Prudence Aaron." Kate calls Castle.

Castle looks at his phone and realises that be better get going to organize things for the dinner tonight. "Well I better get going I'll see you later." Castle says about to lean in to risk a kiss when he notices Gate's watching so he gives Kate and the boys a wave goodbye instead.

"See you later Bro." Ryan and Esposito say.

"By Rick." Kate says.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Arriving back at the loft Castle begins to make dinner he decides on a variety of different food including pasta, rice, homemade pizza, Garlic bread, and a vegetable's and a few other things. Half way through making everything Martha arrives home.

"Ah mother good, can you keep an eye on this why I get changed?" Rick asks and runs off to his bedroom before Martha has a chance to respond.

Rick has a quick shower and changes into a simple pair of tallied trousers and a buttoned up top before he goes to leave he pulls out his old brown coat, the piece of clothing he considers a friend of his in a way, the one item of clothing that gives him comfort.

"You wearing what everyone else thinks is a Halloween costume will be suspicious Richard." Castle hears his mother's voice say.

"Not necessarily they may not realises that it is the jacket I used as a Halloween costume most my jackets are brown." Richard reminds his mother. "Besides I need to security this jacket gives me tonight." Richard tells his mother.

"It amazes me a man who has survived a hell of a war, released an Alliance secret to everyone in the verse is afraid to tell the people the he cares about the most a little secret." Martha says surprised by her son.

"This is different and you know." Richard says looking at his mother and then back at his coat "So you know I plan to tell everyone after dinner, allow us to have a nice evening first." Richard tells his mother.

"Talking about dinner you do realises that there is only going to be nine people you made enough food for twice that number." Martha informs her son.

"Too much?"

"Just a little" Martha says and but before Richard can respond they here "Dad? Gram?" coming from Alexis in the other room.

"Coming." Castle and Richard call back.

Martha leaves Richard's room and Rick looks once more at his coat and pulls it off the coat hanger and puts it on, and leaves his room.

"Hey Pumpkin." Richard says walking out into the living/kitchen area.

"Hey Dad." Alexis says smiling at her father "Why are you wearing the coat you wear with you Halloween costume?" She asks confused.

"It's not really part of a Halloween costume, it's a coat that I got when I was younger and wore as a Halloween costume, I love it though and felt like wearing it tonight." Richard explains to his daughter as his mother shots him a look saying "I told you so"

"Ah ok." She says then notices the amount of food that is cooking "Dad there is only 9 people coming right?" She asks.

"Yeah I went a bit overboard, I wanted there to be choices." Richard explains.

"Well there definitely is, do you need a hand?" Alexis ask.

"Sure, go put you stuff upstairs and come and help." Rick says as his daughter disappears upstairs.

"Don't say anything mother." Richard tells his mother.

"Wasn't going to kiddo." Martha says poring herself a glass of wine.

Alexis comes back downstairs and helps her dad with dinner. Half an hour later the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it." Rick says walking over to the door he opens it and sees Kate standing there wearing a pair of jeans with a blue v next sweeter with her large overcoat, standing with her dad.

"Come in, you look lovely Kate." Castle says giving Kate a kiss on the cheek "Jim" Castle says shaking Jim's hand  
>"Rick"<p>

"Can I take both your coats?" Castle asks.

Both Jim and Kate remove their jackets and hands them to Rick who puts them in the closet.

"Can I get you a drink?" Rick asks.

"I'll take a mineral water if you have it." Jim informs Castle

"Can do and Kate?" Rick asks walking over to the kitchen where Jim and Kate hug both Alexis and Martha.

"I'll take a glass of the wine that Martha is having." Kate says.

"Good choice dear." Martha tells Kate.

Within 5 minutes Lanie and Esposito arrive followed not to long after by Ryan and Jenny. Castle offers them all drinks, Lanie and Jenny both have some of the wine while Ryan and Esposito have a beer.

"Dinner should be ready in about an hour." Rick informs the group.

"How much did you make Rick?" Kate asks looking at all the food.

"I have been informed that I went a bit over board." Rick responds.

"More than a bit bro." Esposito tells him.

Before Rick can defend himself the doorbell rings, Rick looks confused at his mother and Alexis "Were not expecting anyone else are we?" he asks, they both shake their heads.

"I'll get it." Martha says walking over to the door, she opens it and gets the shock of her life when she sees the entire crew of Serenity standing there.

"Wou Duh Tian Ah. (o my god) I don't believe it Mrs R. we _are_ in the right place." Zoe says stressing the are as she sees Martha.

"Dear you may have to break the news earlier than you thought." Martha yells out to Richard once she comes out of her shock.

"What do you mean mother." Rick asks confused walking over to the door, "_Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing.( _I don't believe my eyes)" he says in complete shock, when he sees his crew, his family standing before him.

"Why can't you believe your eyes Dad?" Alexis asks walking over as she translated the Chinese in her head.

"DAD" Every member of Serenity says wearing identical looks of shock when they see and hear Alexis.

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**AN**: I don't know if I am the only one who noticed that most the jackets that Castle wears in the show are a shade of brown.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

**AN: As the problem with alerts have been fixed I will be updating as soon as I finish a chapter which at the moment Is once a day. **

"What's going on Rick?" Kate asks walking over closely followed by her Father, the boys, Lanie and Jenny.

"Rick." Castle hears Kaylee mutter confused.

Castle looks between the two groups knowing that both of them need answers, coming out of his shock he faces his crew first "I know you guys have questions, but I got to explain a few things first they don't know." Mal says looking straight at his crew.

"They don't know?" Zoe repeats slightly surprised.

"I was going to tell them tonight but then y'all showed up." Mal tells his second in command and the people form this time are shocked that Castle the person who got annoyed about a grammatical mistake on a dead body isn't using proper English.

"Our questions can wait." Zoe says realising that Mal's friends and family as she can only assume they are need to know the truth before any of them can ask their questions.

"Come in." Mal says opening the door for his crew as everyone but Martha looks completely confused.

The crew walks in and Kaylee gives Mal a hug as she does almost knocking him over "Wow there little Kaylee." Mal says to her.

"Sorry Captain." Kaylee says as she breaks away, Kaylee calling Castle captain confuses everyone even more, everyone from his crew also say hallo to Martha as they enter.

"Rick what is going on?" Kate asks confused.

"You guys sit down." Castle says to the people from this time pointing to the couch, the detectives and their partners sit down though they are still confused.

"You two Alexis." Castle says to his daughter.

Alexis looks like she wants to ask what is going on but seeing the look on her father's face she decides not to, so she goes and sits on the couch between Kate and Lanie.

The Serenity crew stand behind Mal who is standing between the couch and his office and he notices that Wash is still haven't problems walking due to his injury "Zoe through that door is my office there is a chair in there that you can grab for Wash to sit on." He tells Zoe, Zoe nods and goes and collects the chair for her husband.

"I'll introduce you when I finish explaining." Mal tells his crew, who all nod, he then turns to his friends and daughter "I know you suspected that there was something odd about me inviting you all to dinner with such short notices, there is something that I want to tell you but I was going to wait to after dinner, but due to recent developments, I have to tell you now." Castle says then looks straight at Alexis "Alexis I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I didn't want tell you things that I didn't think you were ready for, I just hope you forgive me."

"Whatever it is I'll forgive you dad." Alexis says worried about what her dad didn't think he could tell her.

Castle sends a smile to his daughter then takes a deep breath and says "I don't know where to being."

"Start at the beginning Malcolm." Martha says walking over and standing next to her son.

"Malcolm?" Esposito says confused.

Mal looks at his crew "I may need your help with a bit of the history" his crew all nod in respond.

"The best place to start would be with my name, it's not Richard Edger Castle, it's not even Richard Alexander Rodgers, its Malcolm Richard Alexander Reynolds and I came here from the year 2519."

"Very Funny Rick." Kate says not believing him until she looks at his face "You're not kidding." She realises.

"No Kate I'm not."

"How's that possible Dad?" Alexis asks complete confused.

"I'll get to that, first I'll have to give you a little history lesson, though for you I guess it will be future lesson." He jokes and gets a death glare from Kate "Right too soon. " He realises then begins the story

"Population on earth got so high that it no longer had the resources to handle it. When this happened the human race was moved to another solar system where the planets and moons were terraformed to be like earth or as we know it earth-that-was." Castle begins to explain pointing himself and his crew when talking about earth-that- was "There were two dominate powers at this time, America and the Chinese. The two powers joined together with aspects of both cultures to for one."

"Is that why you speak fluent Chinese and why you taught me?" Alexis asks curious.

Mal nods then continues with his story "Within this new Verse, universe." He add seeing the confused looked "There were different types of plants the core and the outer plants. The core plants we united under one government the Alliance." Kate, the boys, her father, Lanie and Jenny eminently notice the look of anger on everyone from the future faces at the mention of the Alliance and realise that they must not be very popular.

"The core plants were, still are advance they have the best technology the best resources everything, the outer plants were just left to basically survive on their own, some off these are barley civilisation some of these plants didn't survive. One of these planets is where mother and I are from a little plant that was mostly ranches called Shadow."

"You grew up on a ranch?" Kate asks surprised.

"Yep, mother raised me with about 40 ranch hands." Rick says smiling at his mother

"So Gram Is still Gram?' Alexis ask as that is one of the first things she was worried about when he Dad said he was from the future.

"Can't get rid of me that easy kid." Martha tells her granddaughter.

Alexis smiles at her grandmother and her father continues his story.

"Then the Alliance decided that they wanted to take control of all the outer planets because up until this point they were independent, and the war of Unification began. It was the Alliance against the independents or as we like to be called Browncoats." Mal explains.

"That explains your coat." Alexis notes.

"You daughter is right Sir, you are wearing your old coat." Zoe notes.

"You know me Zoe, you know how much this coat means to me how much I love it." Mal says to his second mate.

"You once said you got it on sale that's why you wear it." Zoe reminds him with a smile.

"I said that so you could get behind the guy and knock him out remember." Mal reminds her also smiling at the memory.

"Good point Sir." Zoe says laughing a little, "Goin' to need your help with the story of the war." Mal says looking right a Zoe, who responds "Right beside you Sir." She says stepping forward so she is on his right side why Martha is on his left.

"The Uniffcation war was.." Mal begins to stutter not really sure of how to describe the war, Martha who knows this must be hard for her son gives him one of her rare sign comfort by holding his hand. Those who know Mal as Richard Castle are in shock as they have never seen him lost for words, taking a deep breath Mal continues

"I volunteered I was a member of the 57th Overlanders, during the war Shadow was destroyed so badly that it wasn't livable anymore Mother got off just in time." Mal hears Alexis gasp and notices that she looks worriedly at her grandmother "Though it wasn't the battle that ended the war there is one battle that will always stay in my memory, a battle that I can never leave." Mal begins to explain as Kate shears a look with Esposito as she knows that he is most likely the person that she knows who can understand that statement the most he looks like he is both engaged in the story and remembering his own time I war "That was the battle of Serenity Valley, it lasted for 7 weeks an I tell you now those seven weeks were hell, I was only a Sargent but because of so many losses on our side I was in charge of 2000 men and woman, "

"Bro.." Esposito comments in complete shock knowing that the losses must have been very very bad for a Sargent to be in charge of that many people.

"I lost something in that hell of a Valley, a part of me I will never get back, I lost my faith and so much more." Mal explains and Zoe who can see that Mal is getting angry and upsets decides that it would be best if she took over the explanation, So she steps forward so that she is standing a little in front of him

"Mal and I are the only surviving members of our unit and out of the 2000 men and woman that Mall commanded there were 150 of us left." Zoe explains, Alexis who can't stand to hear the horror's he dad went through any more runs forward and throws herself into her father's arms, Zoe looks at the two "Do you want me to continue sir?" She asks and Mal nods. "Most of those members could have survived if it wasn't for thoseJing Chang Mei Yong De Go Neong Yung Duh." Zoe says and Alexis' eyes widen as she translated what Zoe said in her head, Mal who notices his daughter action decides to warn his crew

"Keep in mind when insulting someone and swearing in Chinese that I have a 17 year old daughter who speaks fluent Chinese"

"Sorry Sir," Zoe says then continues "who didn't provide us with medical treatment after the battle and left us alone for a week with no supplies while they were arranging a surrender, more people would have survived." Zoe explains and everyone from present day sits in shock about Mal's and Zoe's description of the war.

"I'm ok now." Castle whispers to Alexis who gives her father another hug before going to take her seat between Kate and Lanie who are both in total shock about what they have just herd.

"Thanks Zoe." Mal says.

Zoe nods and steps back.

"After the war I discovered that Mother was okay and living on a planet called Whitefull, and I got to tell you that was the best news I heard for a long time, Zoe and I went to see her, but we didn't stay long. We got ourselves a boat." Mal begins to explain getting to the next chapter of his life.

"Why did you get yourself a boat Castle? Were you planning to sail somewhere?" Ryan asks.

"A boat or a ship is what we call a spaceship." Mal explains and Ryan and the others nod in understanding "We figured that we no matter how long the arm of the Alliance was we could just get ourselves a little further survived on what jobs we could get, that's what we did got a boat named her Serenity." Mal explains.

"Why would you name your ship after something that had such bad memories for you?" Jim asks confused.

Zoe is the one two answer Jim instead of Castle using the same line that she once told Simon "Because no one leaves Serenity, you just learn to live there" Zoe explains.

Mal nods then continues on with his story "We got a pilot, a mechanic, hired muscle, and .." Mal begins to think of the best way to describe Inara the one person that he hasn't looked at since she arrived "Someone who had her own business. Things got a bit more interestin' than I would have liked when a young doctor, his sister and a Shepard joined us, but that's not my story to tell." Mal says then looks at Simon "Doc? Do you want to take it from here."

Simon nods knowing that they should know exactly what the Alliance did "My sister who is currently dancing around Mal's loft." Simon says smiling at River who is dancing around the loft and looking at the pictures "Is a child progeny, there was nothing that she couldn't learn, couldn't do, she began to correct my spelling at the age of three, she was able to learn everything from dance to Physics as easy as breathing." Everyone from this time is in shock about that imagining just how smart that girl is "When she was fourteen she went to what my parents and myself thought was a private school for gifted children called the Academy, I didn't hear from her for a while but when I did start to hear from her again, there was something off, she had written a code in her letters to me I managed to decode it and all it said was 'help, their hurting us.' After that my sole mission was getting her out, it took two years but I managed it, but we had become fugitives, I got passage on Serenity and snuck River aboard. That is the best thing I have done for the both of us. When we got on Serenity I begin to discover that River was different from my Méi-mei. With the help of everyone aboard Serenity we discovered that, through all the pain they inflicted on River everything they did including making her feel everything no matter what she did River became a Psychic." Simon explains.

"Psychic?" Kate repeats and Castle can tell that she doesn't believe Simon.

"You don't know what to call him anymore, you think you don't know him. But you do, he may go by many names but the man is the same." River says to Kate in the voice that the crew of Serenity recognizes as the one she uses when she is using her abilities.

"Thank you River." Mal says quickly, and River smiles at Mal then continues to dance.

"Is that why you believed the Psychic was real in the case we work over a year ago?" Ryan asks Castle.

"I knew it was a possibility but I also knew that there was no one like River." Castle explains.

"That explains about your past Dad, but how did you get here?" Alexis asks.

"I'm gettin to that, thanks Simon." Mal says "River was able to get in touch with some information that she accidently discovered at the Academy it all that the rest of us were able to make out was Miranda, we did some research and discovered Miranda was a plant that was meant to have been made unlivable during a terraforming accident, we planned to go there but it wouldn't be as easy as we thought it would be cause we had to cross Reaver territory." Mal explains and is interrupted by Esposito.

"What are Reavers?" He asks.

"Reavers are something terrible, y'all don't need the image of what they do in your heads no one does." Mal explains. Kate, Alexis, the boys Lanie, Jenny and Jim all exchange looks and assume that these Reavers whatever they are must be bad.

"As to what they are, it was once thought that Reavers were men who went to the edge of space and saw the black, and it turned them insane, we discovered the truth." Mal informs his friends.

"Of course you did." Kate says smiling a little.

"We discovered that the Allience released as substance called the Pax, on Miranda to remove all conflict, it worked a little too well, the majority of the population became so numb that they stopped doing everything, they just waited for death. It had the opposite effect for 0.1% of the population they turned savage they became Reavers. When we discovered this information we couldn't let them get away with it, we knew it wouldn't be too long before they tried it again, tried to make everyone better. With this information we headed back to a friend, a friend who was going to broadcast it all across the Verse, but it was harder getting back this time cause we had both the Alliances and Reavers after us. I'm not goin to get into details about exactly what happened but we did get the information to the Verse nearly lost Wash and the Shepard in the process, all of us got hurt and we still bear those scares. After that battle we started to restore Serenity, due to Wash being so hurt River took over flying her. We were able to live our lives how we always did for a about a month, then we got a wave from Mother"

"A wave?" Lanie asks confused.

"Mode of communication, kind of like a video call." Mal explains trying to come up with the explanation that they would understand.

"She had just gotten to a friend's house after an advanced warning that the Allience was after her, they were goin after her cause of me." Mal continues to explain. Alexis looks worriedly at her grandmother

"We were able to get Mother off Whitefull safely and she joined Serenity. She stayed with us for 2 months, durin that time we discovered that the Allience was goin to go after everyone I cared about because of what I did, I realized that the only way to keep them safe was to disappear. We all worked together to create a time machine, the one problem was it was only one trip and we had no control over where it would take me. I planned to come alone but mother wouldn't let me, so we both came here, during the travel I became 17 again and mother also de-aged. Mother decided that our last name was going to be her grandmothers Rodgers, she decided that she was going to keep her first name but I couldn't, so I became Richard Rodgers, later Richard Castle, my grandmothers name, and I began another life, and that's everything." Richard informs his friends, then turns to Alexis "Alexis, what are you thinking?" He asks his daughter.

"I'm a little angry that you didn't tell me sooner, but I understand you reasons I don't know how I would have reacted to getting this news if I received it when I was younger." Alexis says getting up and giving her father a hug. "You going to introduce everyone now?" she asks.

"Good idea." He decided to introduce the people from this time first Mal points to everyone as he says who they are "Kevin Ryan, his wife Jenny, Javier Esposito, Dr Lanie Parish, my girlfriend Kate Beckett." He says then about to quickly introduce Jim when he is interrupted by Zoe.

"You have a girlfriend" She says in shock.

"Yes." He answers.

"A serious Girlfriend?" This time it is Kaylee who asks but sounds as shocked as Zoe.

"Yes, is that so surprising?" Mal asks his crew.

"it's not surprising it's a miracle." Inara comments in her usually playful teasing that Mal is used to hearing though he does hear something in her voice he doesn't hear often, pain.

Ignoring Inara's comment because he wants to talk to Inara in private to explain everything, he introduces Jim "and that's her father Jim." Mal says then turns to his crew and points out everyone.

"Zoe Washburne, my second in command, her husband Wash our pilot, Jayne our hired muscle, Dr Simon Tam and his sister River, Shepard Book who as you can guess is a Shepard, and Inara Serra." He says and when introducing Inara he looks at her for the first time since she arrived and once again is overcome with her beauty, and everything he feels for her.

"Alexis Inara Castle." Every single person in the room hears Alexis say.

"Yes." Mal says to his daughter.

"You named me after her." She says realizing that whoever this Inara is to her father, she is important, the members of Serenity smile a little all knowing how important Inara is to Mal and visa versa. Inara smile is bigger than them all feeling completely touched that Mal named his daughter after her.

Kate is surprised at that realization and gives Inara a look over and the first thing she notices is that Inara is beautiful, and realizes whatever the history is between the two, she's very important to him.

"Dad you never said what Inara does on the Serenity." Alexis realizes wanting to know information about the person her father cared enough about to name her after.

"It's just Serenity not the." Mal tells his daughter then gets a smile on his face and his crew wonder just what Mal is going to introduce Inara as "Inara is our ambassador."

"Really Mal you are going with ambassador?" Inara asks surprised by him using his old joke.

"You're always was the one saying you open doors from us and have connections that otherwise we wouldn't." Mal remind her.

"You weren't complaining when those connections were the reason you still have an ear attached to the side of your head." Inara shots back getting caught up in their old banter that she forgets that Mal's teenage daughter is still in the room.

"What!" Alexis says shocked and looks on both his ears "I still see the scar how did that happen Dad?" She asks worried.

"Thanks Nara this isn't a story I was plannin to tell. " Mal says looking at Inara who mouths 'sorry' back.

"We got a job from a guy called Niska, we're not usually fussy about the jobs we take on." Mal begins to explain and he knows that Kate and the other detective's in the room most likely picked up on the fact that the jobs they do are illegal "but there are things that we won't do, and Niska didn't give us all the information when we found out the truth we returned the money that he played us and undid what we did for the job, a few months later when we were returning from another Job Niska grabbed Wash and me, when Zoe discovered that we were gone Zoe realized who it was that took us and every member of Serenity put all their money together for Zoe to offer in exchange for our release, Niska felt it was only enough for one of us, Zoe decided on Wash, and before you guys say anything it was best that way, " Mal quickly says before any of his friends can comment "before she was about to leave Niska stopped her, he felt that it the money she gave was worth more than Wash, so he cut off my ear, and yes Nara it was due to you connections that we were able to get the equipment that Simon needed to sow it back on." Mal admits smiling at Inara.

"Tell the rest of the story Dad." Alexis tells her father.

"Alexis you don't need to hear that." Mal tells his daughter.

"Yes I do, either you tell me or I'll ask one of your crew and as I'm the captains daughter they have to tell me." Alexis threaten her father.

"Wow you really are your father's daughter." Inara comments.

Mal shots a glare at Inara "She is right though." He admits knowing Alexis "Ok but if you want me to stop just tell me." He tells his daughter who nods. "Niska tortured me, it was so bad that at one point I died," At hearing that her father once died, Alexis engulfs him in the biggest hug and holds onto her dad so tightly, realizing that he dad has stopped the story Alexis says though tears "Finish the story Daddy."

"Niska bought me back because he wasn't finished, then my crew saved me." Mal says his eyes leaving his daughters face which has tear running down it to look at his crew and smile, though at the same time he tightens the hug he has on his daughter, as if to tell her "I'm here I'm ok"

"Never leave a man behind." Wash says to him.

"Bro you and I have to have a long talk at some point." Esposito says to Castle in shock and aww about everything they have discovered tonight.

"I assumed so." Rick answers.

"So I'm assuming Inara isn't you ambassador what does she do?" Lanie asks.

"I'm a registered Companion" Inara answers before Mal can.

"And a companion is?" Ryan asks interested and confused.

"A whore." Mal answers.

"Here we go again." Kaylee says amused knowing like everyone else who has ever been on Serenity the unstoppable argument that is about to take place.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that, a companion is different form a whore we are educated and we do so much more than what a whore does, we are a companion whatever that may mean for a client whether that means being a friend, or a counselor or something else." Inara says standing right in fount of Mal in a tone of voice that appears to be angrily to everyone else except Mal who knows her two well.

"Aww you missed me." Mal notes with a smile on his face.

"Of course I did you Chwen Joo." Inara says annoyed hitting Mal, and Alexis laughs after translating what she said in her head.

"I missed you to Nara." Mal informs her giving her a one arm hug and staring into her eyes, Kate noticing both the gestures can't help but become jealous.

"Malcolm dinner." Martha reminds her son.

"Right, Alexis do you and Gram want to get the extra chairs. Simon, Jayne give them a hand." Mal says.

"I'll show you were to go." Alexis says walking upstairs to where they keep the extra chairs, closely followed by Simon and Jayne.

"Ryan, Esposito do you mind helping to?" Castle asks his friends.

"Not at all." Ryan and Esposito say both getting up to help.

"Kate lets go for a walk." Castle says to Kate as he has noticed that Kate has been quite the whole time, Kate nods and walks over to Castle.

"What about dinner?" Martha reminds her son.

"It's still go another 10-15 minutes we should be back by then, you can handle it." Malcolm says to his mother as he and Kate collect her jacket and leave the loft.

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review.**

Kate and Castle lave the loft and begin to walk, both of them are quit, Kate because she is thinking about everything she has discovered and Castle is because he is worried about how she is going to react.

"You were really going to tell us tonight?" Kate asks not sure if she should believe that he was going to tell them.

"Yeah, I was looking at and old picture of my crew yesterday morning and Mother made me realises that I had to tell you, that's why the dinner was such short notice I didn't want to give myself time to talk myself out of it." Rick explains.

"Why did you wait four years to tell us, why did you wait so long to tell Alexis?" Kate asks interested to know the answer.

"I'll start with why I didn't tell Alexis, you herd the stories I had to tell you saw how she reacted, can you imagine how she would have reacted if she was younger, I wanted to find the perfect balance between her being old enough to handle it and not waiting to long." Castle explains "As four you, they boys and Lanie, I didn't want you to know before I told Alexis, I felt that she deserved to know the same time or before you." Rick explains.

"I guess I can understand that." Kate admits and the two continue to walk a little. "The jobs you and your crew done, they weren't legal were they?" Kate asks.

Rick laughs "Should have known you picked up on that. No most of what we done wasn't legal under the Alliance law, some off it wasn' legal under this law as well" He admits "But we did do some legal jobs we did what we could." Rick explains.

"So what were you there?" Kate asks wondering just what he did.

"This is the hard part" Rick says first he looks around to make sure no one is around once he is sure that there isn't he begins to tell the story "Yes I have stolen yes, I have killed when I had to. But I had a code, still do, you attack one of my crew, you attacked me, if someone tries to kill you just try and kill 'em right back. The job for Niska can explain me best. He hired us to do a train job, he told us we were going to be stilling from the Alliance, something we did often. After we finished the job we discovered that we weren't stealing from the alliance but from people who really need it, we returned the goods back to the people and the money back to Niska, you see we may be thief's but we don't steal from people who need it." Richard explains.

Kate is in shock about what she has heard not being able to imagine the Rick she knows doing that kind of stuff "What was the job that got you caught by Niska?"she asks.

"Ahh, that job was complicated, wait to I explain everything before you say something please" Rick asks and Kate nods, "It was actually Simon's idea, the kid can come up with good ideas sometimes, we were on one of the core plants Ariel. I don't care which planet it was but I hate being on the core, the only reason we were there was because Inara needed to get her yearly cheek up. At this point Simon was doing his best for River but there was little he could do as he didn't know what they had done to her, his plan was to get her into the medical imaging sweet in the hospital see if he could get information about what happened. To get her in he needed our help, and he had an amazing idea about how to get the payment that would be worth the risk. You know how I said before the war that the core had everything the outer planets didn't well that was still the same after. The core had any medical supply imaginable and could be re stocked within hours. The outer or rim planets they had barely enough to survive and very rarely got restocked. " Kate can see where this story is going but feels like It may be best not to jump to any conclusions as she could be wrong "So we broke in to St Lucy's the hospital, Jayne went with River and Simon as Zoe and I went to acquirer what we wanted. We got what we wanted, Simon was able to get the information he needed, and the mission looked like it was going to go off without a hich, but then let's just say we had a little Allience problem." Mal tells her but doesn't elaborate "We were going to sell some of the medication to members of an outer planet when Niska grabbed us." Mal explains.

"So let me get this straight, you stole from the alliance and sold to the poor?" Kate asks surprised and Rick can tell that she is angry.

"Hell of a lot more than the Goram Alliance did." Mal tells her.

The two continue to walk in silence for a little while Kate is feeling angry and surprised after a little while she decided to ask the questions that she really wants the answer to "Inara must have been pretty important to you for you to name Alexis after her."

Mal sighs he knew questions about Inara were coming he just hopes he doesn't hurt Kate while telling her the truth "Yeah Nara was important to me" He tells Kate "still is." He adds.

"How long were you together?" Kate asks as she assumes from the way he talks about her and the way they looked at each other that they dated.

Mal smiles at that "We never dated. We were friends, best friends, as odd as it sounds Inara knew me better than anyone. Whenever I needed to get away I would usually go and hide in her shuttle though most of the time that would end with us fighting and not talking for days." Mal says with a laugh.

"Do you still love her?" Kate asks being able to tell by the way he talked about her and what he said that at one point he loved her.

"A part of me will always love Nara she's my best friend when I was around her she made me feel something I thought I lost in that Valley." Kate looks sadly at the ground wondering how she can compete with that especially when Inara is in this time again before she can respond she hears that Castle has continued to talk "When I came here I never expected to have that again, Kyra came close but then she left, Meredith and Gina were nowhere near. Then I met you." Castle says and this revelation causes Kate to look up again, Rick stops walking so that he is looking directly at Kate "The way we forget that first case reminded me of how it was with Nara that's part of the reason I wanted to shadow you. That first case is the only time I thought that, as we began to work together I feel in love with you and I love you more than I thought possible, you made me feel more complete like I wasn't as damaged as that war left me anymore. I don't believe much anymore but I do believe that you are who I belong with, that you're the person that makes me a better man, that you are the love of my life" Rick says to Kate hoping more than anything that she understands what he is saying.

Kate is in shock so she does the only thing that she can think of a kisses Rick, the two stand together in the empty park kissing for what feels like a lifetime to them.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

A short time later Mal and Kate walk back into the apartment and the first thing they hear when they walk in is Inara's voice "So I closed the lid of the bin on her head and went to find Mal, who was completely naked in the middle of the dessert." Inara tells the group and everyone even those who have heard the story before burst out laughing.

"The Saffron story, really does that story really need to be told." Mal asks walking in and going to sit at the head of the table as Kate takes the empty seat to his right, which is next to Martha then Ryan then, Jenny, Kaylee, Jayne, and finally Jim. To Mal's left is Alexis then Inara, then Esposito, Lanie, Simon, River Shepard Book, and finally Wash and Zoe sharing the other end of the table.

"It's an amazingly funny story, you got married without realising it, your wife hid on your ship seduced you and tried to kill you and you whole crew then when you worked with her again you ended up naked in the desert." Ryan says laughing.

After hearing the story Kate can't help but burst out laughing. Mal faces Inara "Thank you _very_ much."

"Surprisingly that isn't the most amazingly funny thing we have discovered tonight, that goes to the discovery that you Malcolm Reynolds is a best seeling novelest and what were you called, ah yes, civilian investigator." Inara tells Mal and he can tell that she is shocked and Mal is starting to regret leaving his old friends alone with his new ones.

"Yeah bro you crew were nice enough to tell us some stories if you did half of what you did there hear you would be arrested." Esposito tells his friend.

"Different world, I don't have to do those things here." He says then turns to Alexis "Help me serve dinner." Alexis nods as her and her father work together to bring all the food over.

"Do you need another set of hands sir?" Mal hears Zoe asks

"That would be appreciated." Mal responds and not just Zoe but Shepard Book gets up and helps.

"Mother looks like me going overboard isn't a bad thing." Rick says to Martha knowing that thanks to all the new additions it is very unlikely that there is going to be left overs.

Once Alexis, Mal, Zoe and Shepard Book serve all the food and then they sit back down everyone begins to eat all the food that Mal has made for the crew, it's the first time they haven't only been eating protein in a while. Once everyone has finished eating Mal addresses the group.

"Now that you have had your questions answered I have some off my own to ask." Mal says then looks straight at Zoe "How the Guai are you here? What are you doing here? And how long has it been?" Mal asks as those are all questions that he wants an answer to.

"I'll start with you last question, it has been six months since you and Mrs R left, we made new time traveling machines that's how were here and as to why it should be pretty obvious sir, were here to bring you back." Zoe explains.

"Zoe I want to come back with you so badly, but it's ain't up to me. It's up to Alexis, I won't go if my daughter isn't and I won't make her, I don't want to go without ka.." Mal says but quickly cuts himself knowing that he shouldn't put that kind of pressure on Kate, though everyone realizes what he is about to say. "Alexis what do you think?" Mal asks his daughter.

"I don't know Dad," Alexis admits "Do I have some time to think?" She asks looking at Zoe.

"24 hours from when we arrived so you have to make you decision by 7:45 tomorrow night." Simon informs Alexis.

"If we do decide to come back with you but want to come home, how long is the minimum time we have to spend there? And how long would have passed here?" Alexis asks curious.

"You will have to spend a minimum of 6 months and you will only get the chance once every 6 months to come back, and for every 6 months you spend in the future, 6 hours would have passed here." Simon once again answers.

"Think about it Alexis, whether we go or not is up to you." Mal tells his daughter.

"If you guys are going then I'm going with you." Kate tells Rick and before Rick can object Ryan, Esposito, Lanie, Jenny and Jim all say "So are we" the boys, Lanie and Jenny say It because if Castle and Kate go then they will follow and Jim says it because his daughter is all he has left so if she goes to the future he will be going to.

"Hang on, first I don't even know if it is possible, and even if it is possible, you guys have to think about seriously about it you will be in the future for a minimum of 6 months in a place 100 times different form here trust me when I say that, you need to think about it." Rick says to his friends then turns to Simon "Is it even possible?"

Simon is silent for a few minutes "Yes it is we have 9 of the devices and the straps are big enough to fit around two people's arms."

"If we do go can we take anything with us?" Alexis as there a few things she would like to take with her if she did go to the future.

"One suitcase, that you can hold the handle off." Kaylee tells Alexis.

"If you do decide you want us to go don't worry about bringing any of your technology its obsolete and most likely won't work." Mal tells his daughter, really looking at her father she can tell that he wants to go to the future, but she still needs some time to think about it.

"What about money? I'm assuming that you use a different currency but is our money off any use?" Kate asks.

"I have a connection on Ariel who exchanges old money for the current, a few of my clients have paid like that before feeling that it makes them seem more sophisticated" Inara answers and Mal snorts at her use of sophisticated, though he does get an idea "If you exchange a lot of old currency for new would it be suspicious and get you in trouble with the alliance?" Mal asks Inara.

"No, I'm respected remember; besides the alliance has bigger problems." Inara tells Mal.

"What do you mean?" Mal asks confused.

"Weren't you wondering why it is now safe to bring you back?" Shepard Book asks Mal

"I was too caught up in my surprise that I didn't really think about it." Mal says exchanging a look with Martha who asks "What happened."

"After what happened on Miranda people on the core are losing faith of the Alliance there worried, some people are very loud about it." Jayne explains.

"How bad?" Mal asks Zoe.

"At the moment its not to bad but soon the Alliance may have a huge problem on their hands." Zoe answers.

"Kaylee, go to the bottom of the fridge there's something you may enjoy." Mal tells Kaylee wanting to get off the topic of the future for a little while until he can have conversations with both Zoe and Alexis.

Confused Kaylee walks over to the fridge and everyone notices her face brighten when she sees what Mal was talking about "Strawberry's." She says excitedly and gives Mal a hug "Thanks captain." Then with the biggest smile on her face she goes back to her seat.

"You're welcom little Kaylee, that's another thing y'all have to be aware off, food isn't exactly of the highest quality and the life we live isn't exactly the easiest. " Rick tells his friends and daughter.

"Disses aren't going to do themselves." Martha says and everyone even reluctantly Jayne get up to help.

"Alexis can I talk to you in my office." Rick says after he puts his disses on the sink.

"Sure dad." She says following her dad.

Ricks office, he closes the door behind them though he knows that it won't stop a certain psychic.

"Are you ok with everything you've herd tonight, it's a lot. " Rick asks his daughter.

"I'm ok dad, yes your right it is a lot to take in, it's surprising, but I'm ok It makes me understand you a bit better." Alexis tells her father "You want to go back don't you?" Alexis asks.

"What I want don't matter, it's up to you. But Alexis, the future is so different and if the Alliance is really losing so much favor things could get very bad, and if I go back I'm goin to go back to what I did before I came here an a lot of that wasn safe. You need to realizes that." Mal tells his daughter.

"I get that Dad, that's why I need time to think." Alexis tells her father as she needs time she is worried about some of the stories she has herd his crew tell but he saw how much his face lit up when telling them "What about Grams?" Alexis asks.

"Whatever we decide that's what she will do two." Mal tells his daughter.

"And Kate, her dad, the boys Jenny, Lanie?" Alexis asks.

"Them saying that they will come is a big a shock to me as it was to you." Mal tells his daughter.

"Do you not want them to?" Alexis asks watching her dad carefully.

"They have lives her Alexis, so do you that's why I need you to really think about it. Me I can live in either place. Because only 6 hours will past here in the minimum time they would have to spend in the future is the only reason I'm lettin them consider comin." Richard tells his daughter.

"Their your friends, you love Kate do you really think you could go to the future without them?" Alexis asks.

"The only person who I wouldn't go to the future without is you. Going without Kate and the others would hurt so much but I would survive I always do, going without you that would kill me, that's why I'm not goin to." Richard tells his daughter opening his arms for a hug.

Alexis smiles and gives her father a hug, though thinking to herself that she is going to find a way to talk to them tomorrow without her father knowing.

"Now there is something else I got to ask, do you mind sharing your room tonight?" Mal asks his daughter.

Alexis looks confused then realizes "Right people from the future can't exactly check into a hotel. It's cool who would I share with?" Alexis asks.

"Kaylee and River." Mal tells his daughter "You may also have to lend them some clothes, you three are about the same size, you about the same age as River and a little younger than Kaylee, you may also have to lend some clothes to Inara and Zoe though I don't know If they will fit into yours." Mal tells his daughter.

Alexis nods and the pair walk back out into the other room.

"Bro it's been a long night, and we have got a lot to think about do you mind if we go?" Ryan asks referring to him and Jenny as while Rick and Alexis were talking everyone worked together to get the washing up done.

"Not at all, and make sure you really think about it, but the final say is Alexis's." Mal says 'feeding the birds' with Ryan before he and Jenny leave.

"We're going to get going to." Esposito says referring to him and Lanie.

"Together?" Rick questions.

"I gave her a lift." Esposito says knowing where Rick's mind is going, so after giving Rick a 'man' hug he and Lanie leave.

"We'll go two Rick, allow you to catch up." Kate says referring to her and her dad.

"I'll walk you out." Mal tells them.

Rick walks Kate and Jim to the elevator.

"I'll meet you in the car Katie." Jim says catching the elevator down allowing Rick and Kate some time to talk.

"I can't ask you to come to the future Kate." Rick tells her.

"You're not asking I'm deciding for myself." Kate tells him and leads in and kisses him. "I'm guessing you're not going to be at the station tomorrow?" Kate realizes.

"Nah I'm not, tell Gates that I'm writing." Castle tells her.

"Yeah don't think she will except the whole you have visitors from the future thing." Kate jokes.

Rick just smiles at her, before anymore can be said the elevator beings.

"See you tomorrow Rick" Kate tells him.

"Until tomorrow." Rick says before turning and walking back to his loft.

Entering his loft he sees his mother, Inara, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Simon and Shepard book all sitting at the table, talking, laughing and catching up.

"Where's Alexis?" He asks looking around then adds "And Kaylee? And River?"

"Up in Alexis's room." Martha tells her son, Mal nods and goes and sits down.

"Did River go up all by herself?" Mal asks knowing it is odd for River to be comfortable with someone quickly.

"Yeah she seems to be very ok around Alexis which is surprising considering how she usually is around new people." Simon tells Mal.

Mal decides to ask Zoe so questions, "So Zoe what's going on with the Alliance is their going to be another war?" he asks.

"It's too early to tell, the alliance is defiantly losing its faith and power but at the moment they haven't lost enough favor for any action against it to be successful." Zoe tells her captain.

"I haven' had a chance to say it yet but I've missed you guys." Mal says looking around the table, the members of Serenity just smile back at him.

"So there is limited space around here' so people are goin to have to share, I've already talked to Alexis and she's ok with sharing with Kaylee and River. I have two spare bedroom, there both upstairs though is that ok?" Mal asks looking at Wash.

"I can still climb stairs Mal." Wash responds.

"Ok, Zoe you and Wash will take one, Simon, Shepard, Jayne you three will have to share. " Mal says and the two out of the three men look disgusted at that "Hey, don't look like that you its only one night you'll make do." He tells the three.

"Inara, you and mother will have to share but no talking about me." Mal tells the pair.

"We have better things to do than talk about you Mal." Inara tells him.

"Come on I'll show you all to your rooms." Mal tells them.

Everyone follows Mal up to the second story of the loft, Mal waits to everyone is upstairs to show where everything is "Ok through there is a bathroom, Alexis's, mine and Mothers also have on sweets, Simon, Jayne, Shepard book you take that room. " He tells the pointing to the room that seems to be in the middle "Alexis's is right next to you incase River needs you." He says looking at Simon, "Zoe yours and Wash are on the other side, and Nara mother will show you the way." Mal says before turning knocking on Alexis's bedroom door before entering.

"Hey you three." Mal says walking in and sees the three sitting on Alexis's bed talking and smiling.

"Hey Dad" Alexis says.

"I'm very glad that you three are getting a long but you may want to try and get some sleep at some point." Mal tells them.

"We won't be up talking to much longer dad promise." Alexis says.

Mal walks over givers his daughter a kiss on the head "Night Pumpkin." Then does the same to River and Kaylee, "Good night you three." He says turning closing the door behind him, as he walks downstairs Mal allows himself to hope, hope that this wasn't just a torturing dream of what he could have but is actually real.

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**AN-** I don't think it has ever been said how many rooms Castle's loft has, I know it must be at least 4 as Kate stayed their once, I added another one as it fits better in my story.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

After her Dad leaves Alexis decided to ask Kaylee and River some things about her Dad "So how close are you and my Dad?" Alexis asks Kaylee not being able to help feeling a little jealous that he kissed them on the head before leaving two.

"Your Dad sees me as his little sister I think his relationship with River is the same." Kaylee tells Alexis realising that she may be a little jealous.

Alexis smiles then realises something "River is the same age as me you're only a little older. If you're his sisters then that makes you my aunts and that's just wired." She says to Kaylee and both of them look at each other and burst out laughing.

"I'll settle for friend." Kaylee says once she finishes laughing.

"Same." Alexis says leaning in and giving Kaylee a hug

"What about me?" River asks as up until this point she had been looking around Alexis's room.

"Your my friend to River." Alexis says and she and Kaylee both open their arms so that River can be included on the hug, before any of the trio can say something Alexis's cell goes off, she looks at the caller id and see's Kate's name.

"Hey, you think that two I was going to make an excuse to get away to talk to you guys, Lanie's 1 I'll be there, yeah that is a good idea, I figure it out, bye Kate" Alexis says hanging up her phone and looks at Kaylee "Who knows the most about time travel?" she asks.

"Simon why?" Kaylee asks confused.

"Come on." Alexis says as she gets up and leaves her bedroom, "What room did Dad put Simon in." She mutters out load to herself.

"That one." River says pointing to the room closes to Alexis's.

"Thanks River." Alexis says smiling then knocks on the door, Shepard book is the one to answer and he looks confused to see the three younger members of the house standing there "Yes?" He asks confused.

"We need to talk to Simon." Alexis says.

Shepard Book nods and allows the three to enter.

"River, Kaylee, Alexis is something wrong?" Simon asks seeing the three.

"No nothing wrong, I just need to ask you something, tomorrow I'm going to meet Dad's friends who were here tonight to talk about our decision about whether or not to come to the future and Kaylee said you know the most about time travel so I was hoping you could come with me." Alexis explains "Oh and not tell dad." She adds.

"I'm willing to come it's the keeping it from you father that I'm not too fond of." Simon says to Alexis.

"Usually I'm not either, but this is different Dad said to me that if he had to go to the future without me it would kill him that's why he's not going if I'm not, but he also said that going without Kate and the others would hurt but he would survive, he's my Dad he's done so much for me I don't want to hurt but I know that if I say stay here it will hurt him so much because he's not with you guys, so that's why I don't want my Dad to know, I'm going to convince his friends to come even if it's just for 6 months he needs them in his life but he also needs you guys I've see that in just the few hours you have been here, so will you come?" Alexis asks looking at Simon with a look which says please please help me.

"I'll come but you Dad is going to know we're up to something if we go somewhere together and not tell him." Simon points out.

Alexis looks thoughtful then gets a smile on her face "You're a doctor right?" she asks and Simon nods "You remember Dr Paris, Lanie she's the ME that works with Detective Beckett I been working with her for a little while." Alexis explains.

"Shouldn't you still be in school?" Simon asks knowing that Mal said his daughter is Rivers age so she should still be in school.

"I've gotten everything I need to graduate, I was meant to be a collage this semester but that's another story." Alexis explains, Simon realises that Alexis must be smart to already have all she needs to graduate "Anyway my idea, tomorrow morning I say I'm going to help out Lanie, and you say something like can I come I want to see what medicine is like in this time." Alexis explains.

"That's genius." Kaylee says giving Alexis a hug.

"That just may work" Simon admits then turns to Shepard Book "Can you keep an eye or River?"

"Consider it done." Shepard book tells Simon.

"We better get back to my room, thanks Simon." Alexis says smiling at him as she River and Kaylee leave

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

Mal is down in his office writing as he realises that Gina would kill him if he disappeared without having his newest book finished.

"Well, well, well Mal Reynolds working hard on something legal." He hears Inara's amused voice say.

"Can you hold your teasing for a minute Nara my publisher would kill me if I disappeared without having this book finished."

"She wouldn't be able to kill you because you would have disappeared, she wouldn't be able to find you." Inara tells him.

"You don't know her powers, she'll find away." Mal responds.

"Does the fact that she's your ex-wife have anything to do with that." Inara asks.

"You know about that" Mal asks surprised closing his laptop and putting it on the table.

"It came up." Inara tells him then goes and sits in the chair across from him. "You named you daughter after me." She says to him and Mal can tell just how touched she is.

"When Alexis was born, Meredith was the one who suggested her first name but I really liked the name so I was ok with it. Alexis was given to me to hold and when I was looking at my little girl I started to think about everything I wanted her to be, I wanted her to be smart, strong, graceful, loving, free, I didn't want her let the fear of what others would think to stop her from doing what she really wanted, then Meredith asked me what I wanted to choose as her middle name and only one that came to my mind was yours, you were everything I wanted my daughter to be." Mal explains.

"Wow Mal, just wow." Inara says loss for words. "She seems like a grate girl, you did good." Inara tells him.

"I can't take the credit, Alexis was born grate." Mal tells Inara.

"You're he father Mal, you raised her yourself your part of the reason she is who she is there's no way for you to deny that." Inara tells Mal, Mal sits in silence not really sure what he wants to say "You and Kate seem happy." Inara says being the first one to broach the subject.

"We are I am." Mal tells her.

"Then I'm happy for you Mal, I always wanted you to be happy." Inara tells Mal.

"For a long time when I came here I could only be happy when thinking about you." Mal tells Inara knowing that now is his chance to really talk to her.

"Mal.." Inara says not really sure what to say.

"Let me say what I have to say Nara, it may have only been 6 months for you but for me it's been 20 years and there is so much I wanted to tell you, so much I told myself I would if I got the chance." Mal tells Inara.

"Mal, things are different now than they were in the last 20 years that you have been thinking about this, you have Kate now, don't say things that are just going to hurt us." Inara pleads.

"There is one thing that hasn't changed in the last 20 years Nara, and that's that your my best friend, you'll always be my best friend." Mal tells Inara.

"You'll always be mine Mal, I see in your face that there is so much more that you want to say to me, and I know that there is so much more that I want to say to you as well, but it's not the right time, and if we do we're just going to end up destroying what we do have, and I don't know about you but I just got my best friend back I don't want to lose him again." Inara tells Mal.

"Fighting for no apparent reason, teasing each other just cause we can, but still being able to talk no matter what?" Mal asks with a smile.

"Fighting for no apparent reason, teasing each other just cause we can, but still being able to talk no matter what." Inara repeats with a smile.

Inara gets up and looks at all the books that Mal has written "You've written a lot."

"Yeah well I had a few ideas, so figured I'd write them down see where it goes." Mal tells Inara walking over and standing next to her.

"Worked well for you, from what your friends were saying your books do amazingly." Inara says to Mal then turns to the books "Which was you first one?" she asks.

Mal points to In a Hail of Bullets "Started writing it a few weeks after I arrived here."

Inara pulls the book of off the self and opens to the dedication page "To Serenity a place I can never leave, but wish I was, nice dedication." Inara says smiling at Mal.

"What can I say, to say I was missing you guys would be an understatement." Mal says to Inara.

"The last 6 months on Serenity have been so different without you." Inara tells Mal.

"How's Zoe looking after her?" Mal asks as they both walk back over and sit back down.

"She's a little beaten up but she fly's true." Inara tells Mal feeling that it describes not just Serenity but the crew as well and she remembers that she herd Mal say it once.

"And how's everyone doing?" Mal asks knowing that Inara will be honest with him.

"Kaylee's been missing you like crazy" Inara says as they both smiling remembering the time Mal said the exact faze, then Inara continues "Rivers doing better she's a good pilot, Simon and Shepard Book have been trying to help out more Jayne's been well Jayne, Wash is getting annoyed at still being hurt and Zoe's doing her best but we miss you Mal, Serenity's not the same, I'm not the same none of us are." Inara tells Mal.

"Nara if it was just me I would come back with you but I've got to think about Alexis she has a life here, friends, her Mom. It's up to her." Mal tells Inara.

"I know." Inara says getting up about to leave.

"Nara." Mal says stoping her before she can "Next time let's have a fight all this nicety talk is creepy-like." Mal jokes.

"Next time a fight." Inara says smiling "Night Mal.'

"Night Nara."

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

The next morning Alexis wakes up early and careful seek out doing her best not to wake River and Kaylee, she heads down stairs and thinks about maybe making breakfast but after looking at the clock she decides to make herself some tea and read the paper, she turns on the kettle and goes to the front door to collect the paper, just as the kettle boiled she hears someone walking down the stairs, she turns to look hoping that she didn't wake up Kaylee or River but to her surprises it's Inara.

"Hey." Alexis says seeing Inara.

"Hey." Inara responds a little awkwardly not really sure what to say or how to act around Alexis.

"I was just making some tea would you like some?" Alexis asks Inara.

"I'd love some." Inara tells Alexis taking a seat on the other side of the bench. Alexis smiles and collects another cup and pours some tea into both.

"When I saw the time I thought I would be the only one up." Alexis says.

"Same, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, had a lot to think about." Inara explains to Alexis.

"I get that." Alexis says walking over to sit at the table and pointing to the seat on the other side for Inara, who nods and sits on the other side.

"I assume you would." Inara tells Alexis and deciding that she's not going to ask about what Alexis's decision is because whether or not Mal is going to come back is the one decision that she can't be unbiased about.

"You're not going to ask about what I'm going to decide?" Alexis asks taking a sip off her tea.

"No, it's up to you if we talk about it I'm going to no matter how much I don't mean to influence it and I can't do that I won't, this decision has to be made by you and you alone." Inara tells Alexis.

"Thanks." Alexis mutters simply as Inara not wanting to influence he decision allowing to think about what she wants means a lot.

"So what time do you have to leave for school?" Inara asks.

"I don't." Alexis responds.

"Isn't there still a few months left of the school year?" Inara asks confused.

"Yeah there is but I planned to be at collage this semester but that didn't really work out." Alexis tells Inara, feeling surprised about how comfortable she feels talking to Inara considering how short of time she has known her.

"Oh I'm sorry, do you want to talk about it?" Inara asks.

"It's a long story." Alexis tells Inara.

"Well judging by the time no one else is likely to be awake for a while we have time." Inara tells Alexis.

"Last year I started a guy called Ashley, he was a year older than me and going off to college. He decided that he wasn't going to go to the school of his dreams so he could stay near me. I didn't want him to give up his dream for me so I broke up with him." Alexis begins to explain feeling surprised about how easy it is to talk to Inara, it's almost like she has known her a lot longer than she has.

"That must have been hard on you." Inara realises.

"It was he was my fist love, Ashley went to talk Dad to tell him that he had decided to go to Stanford and that he wanted us to try long distance."

"That was brave of him." Inara comments knowing how protective Mal is and knowing how much more protective her would be of his daughter.

"It was especially considering how dad first met him." Alexis says smiling at the memory.

"What happened?" Inara asks interested.

"Dad was working on a case that involved old fashion duel with guns, Dad knew that I had a friend over but he thought it was a female friend so he opened up the door a quietly as possible and came into the loft waving the gun, instead of finding me and one of my friends he found me making out with a guy on the couch, not my finest moment, scared Ash so much." Alexis explains smiling.

"Wow Mal walking in on his teenage daughter with a guy holding a gun, it wasn't loaded was it?" Inara asks worried about what would happen to the boy if it was.

"Thankfully not, Dad can be very overprotective some times." Alexis tells Inara.

"He's always been like that, when you join his crew you come under his protection, I can only imagine how protective he would be of you." Inara tells Alexis.

"Yeah, Kaylee was saying something similar last night." Alexis informs Inara.

"So what happened after Ashley went to see your dad?" Inara asks.

"We talked and I decided that I was going to apply for early admitting. I thought I was a shoe in my grades were amazing I did so much extra curriculum work then I didn't get in." Alexis tells Inara who can see that it is upsetting for the girl.

Inara who's not sure what to do, decides to reach out and grab Alexis hand as she feels its finding the perfect balance between familiar and not to familiar. "Go on. " Inara says feeling like there may be more to the story.

"I didn't take the rejection to well, I felt like such a failure." Alexis tells Inara.

"Hey, not succeeding isn't failure, failure is giving up." Inara tells her.

Alexis smiles at that "My dad said the same thing."

"He can be smart when he wants." Inara tells her.

Alexis smiles then continues on with her story "With Ash away at collage and me here it was hard, he just wasn't there for me so we broke up." Alexis tells her and Inara can tell that Alexis is upset about it.

"Alexis, I may not have known you long but from what I have observed Standford and Ash are idiots for letting you go, you'll find were and who you belong with." Inara tells her giving her hand a squeeze.

"Thank Inara." Alexis says as she feels it's nice to just talk to someone, someone who won't judge and she can just talk, she doesn't have that kind of relationship with her mother and even though she and Kate are close she feels odd talking to her.

"What do you say to us making breakfast together?" Inara asks realising that what Alexis may need most is two be distracted.

"That would be nice, I'm just going to go upstairs and clean up a bit first." Alexis tells Inara, who nods, Alexis gets up climbs part way up the stairs before turning back to Inara.

"You must have been important to my Dad for him to name me after you, and I'm starting to see that, I'm glad I'm going to get to know the people who are so important to Dad I hope you all can become just as important to me as you seem to be to him." Alexis says before walking up the rest of the way up, Inara smiles at both Alexis's words and as she realises that Alexis has made up her mind.

A few minutes later Alexis comes back down and the pair begin to make breakfast.

"This is all nearly ready I'll go upstairs to wake everyone up do you want to go wake dad, his rooms through there." Alexis tells Inara pointing to the door leading to her father's room. Alexis heads upstairs while Inara goes to wake up Mal.

Alexis first wakes up her grandmother then Wash and Zoe, then Simon, Jayne and Shepard book finally followed by River and Kaylee. The 11 people in the loft all head down to enjoy there breakfast together and the first thing that Alexis notices is how much crew is like a family and she is also surprised that she doesn't feel like an outsider, she feels that they include her just as much as everyone else like she has always been there, and she can't help but love the feeling.

"What are we going to do today sir?" Zoe asks once everyone has finished eating.

"How about we show everyone around New York dad?" Alexis asks.

"I'm not sure.." Mal says not sure if it is the best idea or not.

"Come on Dad their in a whole new time zone they should get to see some of it." Alexis says to her dad.

"Alexis is right please Captain." Kaylee says as both her and Alexis look at Mal with the best puppy dog faces.

Mal not being able to stand the looks on the pairs face cave "Fine."

Alexis and Kaylee both smile and give Mal a hug.

"Kaylee, River, I will defiantly have something you can borrow, Zoe, Inara I should have something you guys can borrow." Alexis tells them, Kaylee and Alexis excitedly head upstairs closely followed by River and Inara and Zoe not too far behind them.

"Malcolm those two girls have you rapped around their little fingers." Martha says amused.

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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

**AN- I was re watching the firefly special features and I realised that I had how many men and woman Mal commanded wrong in chapter 4 so I went back and changed it. **

Half an hour later Alexis, Zoe, Inara, Kaylee and River are all still getting ready after all of them finally find something to were in Alexis's closet. The males in the house on the other hand all borrowed a top and pants from Mal and were ready in 10 and even Martha bets the girls in getting ready.

"ALEXIS, KAYLEE, RIVER, ZOE, INARA, HURRY UP IF YOU WANT TO GO." Mal yells up the stairs.

"Calm down Mal, were here." Inara says walking down followed by the others.

"Took y'all long enough." Mal tells them.

"It took some time finding cloths that will fit everyone." Alexis tells her dad "Then I had to find coats that would fit." Alexis explains.

"Well let's go." Mal says handing coats to Jayne, Simon, Wash and Shepard Book. "So Alexis where do you think we should go?" Mal asks his daughter.

"How about a walking tour." Alexis suggests.

Mal nods and the group leave the loft together and begin to walk around New York. They spend the morning walking around Alexis, Mal and Martha pointing out and explaining about different things, at 12 they stop at a Pizza bar and Mal buys lunch for everyone at.

"Dad I promised Dr Parish I would help her with some work." Alexis tells her father.

"What time?" Mal asks.

"1 so I really should get going." Alexis tells her father.

"Alexis do you think Dr Parish would mind terrible if I joined you I would love to get a real look at the kind of medical supplies you have in this time, I've read about it of course but it would be something different all together to see it." Simon asks as even though it is the lie that Alexis came up with he would like to see it.

"I'm sure she would be fine with it." Alexis tells Simon, Alexis and Simon get up to leave but Mal says something before they can.

"Alexis I know you haven't made up your mind yet but if you do decided that you want to go you should stop somewhere and get a pair of combat boots, Simon can show you what kind will be good for the kind of terrain we will be living in" Mal tells his daughter.

"River please do what your told don't go wondering off by yourself." Simon tells his sister.

"You ain't have to worry about little Albatross she'll be fine." Mal tells Simon before he and Alexis leave, first making sure that Mal isn't paying attention Inara turns to Kaylee and whispers.

"They're up to something aren't they?"

"Yeah, Alexis has decided that she is going to come back with us, coz she can tell that it's what her dad really wants but if his friends decide that they don't want to go it's going to hurt him so she's going to convince them to come at least for a little while, she needs Simon to explain about the time travel." Kaylee explains.

Inara is a little surprised though from what she has seen and after he talk with Alexis that morning she really does care about her dad, and his happiness.

"After we all eat we're going to head back to the loft ok." Mal tell the group.

As the members of serenity minus there doctor enjoy their lunch Alexis and Simon make their way to the ME's office to convince everyone that they should come to the future.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

"Hey, Alexis." The security officer says as Alexis and Simon walk up to the building. "Who's this?" He asks seeing Simon.

"He's my cousin from out of town, he's a doctor and Dr Parish said I should bring him by to show him how things are done in New York." Alexis says as when they were on their way over Alexis realised that she was going to have to come up with a lie.

"I'm going to have to call Dr Parish to confirm." The security guard says.

"That's fine like I said Dr Parish knows he was coming with me." Alexis tells him and Simon can tell that even though she is a convincing liar, she isn't too comfortable with lying to someone who is clearly in a position of authority. The security guard picks up the phone to dial the number for Lanie, then he asks Alexis

"His name?"

"Simon Rodgers." Alexis says.

"Good afternoon Dr Parish, Alexis Castle is here with her cousin Simon Rodgers she said you were aware that he was coming, you are, I'll send them right up." The security guard says before hanging up the phone.

"You can go up" he tells them.

"Thank you." Alexis says as she and Simon enter the elevator.

"You really didn't like doing that did you." Simon realises once they close the doors.

"No I don't like lying, but I had no choice." Alexis explains though Simon can tell she's she not feeling to grate about doing it.

"The fact that you feel like this means you're a good person Alexis, everyone does things that they feel they have to do but not feel comfortable doing, very few feel bad about it after" Simon tells her.

"Thanks Simon." Alexis says smiling just as the elevator opens.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

Once everyone arrives back at the loft Mal addresses them.

"Y'all welcome to do whatever you want here until later, Mother can show you how to work things like the TV especially considering things work a bit different here, I gotter go do something that shouldn't take more than an hour." Mal says before turning and leaving the loft.

Inara follows him out, "What are you up to Mal?" she asks.

Mal turns to face Inara more surprised than he admittedly should that she followed her "I'm going to withdraw money out of one of my accounts, in case we do come back with you with more people in on Serenity were goin to need more money in and in this time money isn' something that I'm short off." Mal tells Inara.

"That's why you were wondering if it would be odd if I exchanged large amounts of money, Mal you know the conversion rate is low $100 here only equals about $1 at home." Inara remind him.

"Well it's a good thing I have a lot of money." Mal tells Inara walking for the elevator.

"How much you planning to take out?" Inara asks walking faster to catch up to him.

"1 million should do." Mal tells her.

"I million," Inara says surprised "Mal what if after 6 months you decide to come back you'll be 1 million down in 6 hours." Inara reminds him.

"Nara trust me when I say it wouldn't be putting too much of dent in the money I have." Mal says to Inara just as the elevator opens.

"I'm coming." Inara informs him.

"You're goin to continue to try and talk me out of it, you know as well as I do Nara that with more people Serenity is going to need more money and we can't get that kind doing the jobs we do, but I can here even if it won't be as much there." Mal says just as the elevator doors close.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis and Simon arrive at Lanie's autopsy sweet and see they are the first apart from Lanie to arrive.

"Hi Doctor Parish, you remember Dr Simon Tam from last night." Alexis says as the walk in.

"Of course nice to see you again Dr Tam." Lanie tells him.

"Nice to see you again Dr Parish." Simon says looking around the room.

"Lanie do mind if Simon has a look at some of your equipment why we wait for the others, he wanted to see how different things are here than they are in the future." Alexis explains.

"Not at all I'll show you." Lanie says walking in the other direction.

"Thanks." Simon whispers to Alexis.

"It's no problem I owe you for coming with me especially because you had to lie to dad." Alexis responds.

Lanie spends some time showing Simon some off the equipment that she uses and Simon explains to her how different it is than what they have in the future, Alexis listens intently very interested in the conversation. After almost 20 minutes of talking the boys and Kate arrive.

"Sorry we're late Gates, wanted us to finish the paper work on our case, on the plus side she did give us the rest of the afternoon off." Kate explains.

"It's fine Kate. " Alexis says then addresses everyone "Kate called me last night saying that maybe we should meet to talk about going to the future before we have that conversation there is something I want to say. I have made my decision I have made up my mind I'm going to tell Dad that were going to the future. I know you guys said last night that if we go you will to but I need you guys to make sure that coming is what you really want, because If you come for 6 months you there with no way off coming back. That being said I want to explain why my decision is what it is, Dad clearly wants to go back I think he feels that it's where he belongs, I want to go because I want to see where Dad and Gram are from get to live there myself, but he needs you guys. You may be thinking why don't I say stay here then, he needs his crew maybe more than he needs you guys," Alexis explains "Sorry." She quickly adds realising what she said.

"Alexis its fine, I've realised it to, your Dad needs to back to the future and you right that he needs us to that's why Dad and I are going to be coming with you." Kate tells her smiling at the speech she gave.

"Is your Dad alright with coming?" Alexis asks.

"Yeah apparently he and Shepard Book got talking last night when you Dad and I went for our walk and talked about a lot about what he wouldn't tell me their friends. He also said that if I was going he was two." Kate explains.

"If my girl is coming then I am to." Lanie says then looks at Simon "Besides with a bigger crew you're going to need me." Lanie tells him with a smile.

"You'll also have a nurse, Jenny and I talked last night and we're going to." Ryan tells Alexis.

"Jenny's a nurse." Alexis says surprised.

"Yeah she works at Mercy as a surgical nurse." Ryan explains.

Alexis turns to Esposito "You don't even have to ask Little Castle."

Alexis smiles at them "Thank you." Then turns to Simon "Simon or do you prefer Dr Tam?"

"Simons fine." He tells her.

"Simon do you want to explain anything maybe answer some questions?" Alexis asks.

"That would be a good idea." Simon tells Alexis "First shoes like that" He says pointing to Kate's shoes. "Are very, very unpractical for most of the day to day living on Serenity and the jobs we do your best bet is to buy a pair of combat boots before we leave tonight. Also clothes are better to be practical just bring a few nice things in case the situation arises also make sure you have warm clothes as well it can be cold sometimes very very cold. Also I know you asked last night about money exchange but one thing Inara forgot to mention is that what is $100 here is only equal to $1 in the future. I know you are police officers so the life we live may be very hard to what your use to part of that is because the world Is very different, Also until you learn which I guaranty you will before too long to speak Chinese just act like you understand otherwise you will stick out very quickly. I know we talked about it last night but one suitcase can be any size is all you will be able to bring, and room is going to be tight in places like the dining area at food time, Mal is most likely going to have to by a new table" He adds to himself then goes back to explain "It will most likely be talked about more when we get back but everyone has roles and chores on Serenity which you are going to have to do. I think that's everything I have to say." Simon explains.

"Is time travel painful?" Esposito asks.

"No it feels odd but it's not painful." Simon answers.

"What time do you think we should get back to the loft tonight?" Kate asks.

Simon looks thoughtful "Arrive at about 7 it will give us time to organize everything."

"Any more questions" Simon asks.

"When we were talking you were saying that some of the medical equipment is different will it be hard for me and Jenny to be able to use?" Lanie asks.

"No it's quite simple, I'll also give you both detailed information that should make things easier its will basically be how to guide with the equipment and some of the new procedures" Simon explains.

Seeing that there are no more questions Kate addresses Alexis and Simon "Do you need a lift back to the loft?" She asks.

"No we have to go do something beforehand." Alexis explains.

"Ok."

"See you later detective." Alexis says as her and Simon leave.

"You got your wish." Simon says to her as the walk to the elevator.

"I did didn't I." Alexis says smiling back.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis and Simon stop by a few shops on their way back to the loft Alexis manages to find a pair of combat boots that Simon feels will be perfect for the future she also picks up some clothes that she likes and that Simon tells her are appropriate for the future, and she gets every member of serenity something that Simon makes sure he isn't looking at the price when she buys.

"You didn't have to buy us something." Simon tells her when they get in the cab.

"I wanted to." Alexis responds. "Do you think everyone will like them?" She asks.

"Of course, they will be surprised though, you really didn't have to get us anything and don't tell me or them how much it cost you" Simon tells her.

"I know I didn't have to I got them to say, I accept you I don't hate you because you knew my dad when I didn't, I know your my Dad's family and with a little bit of time I hope to see you as mine two, if that makes sense." Alexis explains to Simon. "They won't be angry will they?" Alexis asks worried.

Simon smiles at her puts his arm around her shoulders like Alexis has seen her friend Paige's older brother do." They won't be angry."

"Good "Alexis says smiling.

"I'm happy for you and Kaylee by the way, she told me you guys have been dating since before Dad left and from what she told me you sound happy together." Alexis tells him.

"Thanks." Simon says smiling back.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis and Simon arrive back to the loft, where they see everyone watching a movie when they arrive the first thing that Alexis notices is that's her Dads not there "Where's Dad?" Alexis asks.

"He said he had to organise something." Zoe tells her turning around to face her.

"And where's Inara?" Alexis asks noticing that Inara isn't there either.

"Followed him to see what he is doing." Wash tells her.

"Give it a rest Nara, considering how much money I have it's really not a lot." They all here Mal say angrily they all turn to the door and see Mal and Inara walk in and Mal is holding a briefcase "I'm going to put this in my office if only to make sure you stop tellin me I need to think." Mal tells Inara walking into his office.

"I keep saying that because you don't think." Inara responds.

Everyone else just watches the exchange with interesting "I see things are back to normal." Jayne comments.

"Now that Inara Is back I have something to give you all, and don't tell me I didn't have to get you anything Simon already did a hundred times. This is my way of saying I've seen that your my dad's family and I hope with time I'll see you as mine and that you will see me as family as well, I know it must not be easy for you guys to get used to the fact that your captain has a daughter I know it's odd for me that my dad has another family, but it is one I want to be apart off." Alexis says the picks up the bag, pulls out a little box opens it and says "Kaylee."

Confused Kaylee walks over "I already see you as family Alexis we had this conversation last night." She says giving her a hug, "I don't need a present."

"You're getting it anyway." Alexis says handing her the box.

Kaylee opens it and sees a white gold Firefly pendent with Sapphire wings "Alexis thank you so much its beautiful, it must have cost you a fortune." She says giving her another hug.

"You're welcome Kaylee" Alexis says and Kaylee stays standing right next to Alexis. Alexis pulls out another box opens it,

"Let me guess Zoe." Kaylee whispers seeing that it is the same as her gift but has emeralds on the wings instead and Alexis nods.

"Zoe."

Zoe walks forward and Alexis hands her the box seeing what it is Zoe tries to hand it back "Alexis I can't accept this." Zoe tells her.

"Well I'm not taking it back." Alexis says crossing her arms.

"You look a lot like your father when you do that." Zoe says smiling and giving the girl a hug.

"You don't have to try so hard to be a part of this family you are already." She whispers, the once they break the hug she walks back over to her husband.

"River." Alexis says and River is already standing in front of her as soon as she finishes saying the name.

"It's going to take a while for me to get use to that." Alexis tells River.

"I know." River says "Amethyst according to myth is a form of protection." River tells Alexis.

"So I've herd." Alexis responds handing the box over, and thinking about when she saw the Firefly with Amethyst wings she thought of River.

"It's nice thank you, it may take time but your doubts will go away you'll begin to feel like you have always known us." River tells her smiling.

"Thanks River." Alexis says and River smiles before going back to continue to read one of the Castle books she had been reading.

Alexis pulls out another box and walks over to hand it to Inara "Inara." Alexis says handing it over. Inara opens the box and sees that Alexis chose for her a firefly with Ruby wings.

"Thank you Alexis I love it." Inara tells her giving her a hug feeling so touched that the girl who meet them all is bought them all a gift ones that she can only assume was expensive.

Alexis walks back to her bag and pulls out 4 boxes "I wasn't sure what would be the best for you guys so Simon helped me choose, Simon, Wash, Jayne, Shepard Book." Alexis says and they all walk up and Alexis gives them each a box inside of which is a leather watch.

"Thank you Alexis." The four boys say together.

"You guys are all welcome, I've got to go tell Dad I made my decision." Alexis says, but before she can walk into her Dad's office her grandmother stops her.

"That was very nice of you, I'm proud." Martha says giving her a hug.

"There's something left in the bag for you two." Alexis says breaking the hug, then walking into her dad's office.

"Hey Dad."

"Hey Pumpkin."

"You ok? You and Inara seemed to be having a nasty fight." Alexis asks walking in closing the door behind her.

Mal smiles "On our scale that was barley a fight." Mal tells his daughter.

"Really?" Alexis asks surprised.

"Yeah. She's my best friend but we fight constantly and usually the best way to tell how bad is to see how long we don't talk." Mal explains.

Alexis looks confused "So let me get this straight you fight a lot don't talk for long periods of time but your still best friends, that sounds confusing and complicated." She says.

"That's the perfect way to describe Nara's and my relationship." Mal says to his daughter with a smile.

"I made my decision." Alexis tells her dad.

"And?" Mal asks holding his breath.

"Call me Alexis Reynolds." Alexis says with a smile.

Mal walks around his desk and gives his daughter a hug "You sure about this?"

Alexis nods.

"And are you sure you want to go as Alexis Reynolds?" Mal asks.

"You said it yourself if we go back you going to go back to who you were Malcolm Reynolds, and I can only assume Gram is going to go back to using Reynolds so I want to as well, Alexis Inara Reynolds has a nice ring to it don't you think?." Alexis asks her Dad.

"If you like it then I love it." Mal says giving his daughter a hug.

"Dad Simon and I..." She begins to explain but gets cut off.

"Didn't just go to Lanie's because she needed help but to talk and I'm guessing convince the others to come to the future." Mal says finishing his daughters sentence.

"How did you know?" Alexis asks confused.

"Neither you or Simon are good at lying to me." Mal tells his daughter.

"You should know they didn't need much convincing." Alexis tells her father with a smile, the pair look at each other then head back into the living room.

"Kaylee, Inara, Zoe, River will you guys help be deciding what to pack?" Alexis asks when they do.

"Of course." The four reply.

Alexis smiles and the five of them head upside.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

The members of the Castle loft spend the next few hours getting ready for the trip to the future and in that time Mal makes some snacks for everyone to eat just before they go. When Kate, Esposito, Ryan, Lanie, Jenny and Jim arrive at 7 Mal, Martha and Alexis are all packed Mal, fitting the briefcase of money into his suitcase so it doesn't look so odd.

"Hey." Rick says giving Kate a kiss when she arrives.

"Hey yourself." Kate responds then notices what he is wearing, "What's with the pants?" she asks.

"He's captain tight pants." Kaylee informs Kate.

"Captain tight pants?" Kate asks confused.

"Most of the pants the Captain where's are a size or so to small mostly because there from the days of the war, Kaylee called him Captain Tight Pants once it kind of stuck." Zoe explains.

"Kate, Ryan, Esposito I'll get you new guns when we get there because you won't be able to find amo for your current ones." Rick explains then adds "This is your last chance are you sure you want to do this." Rick asks looking at everyone.

"We're sure Rick." Kate tells him as the boys nod.

"Ok then, Simon do you want to explain how this will work." Mal asks.

Simon nods "Zoe has the 9 devices that we will be using they have been programed so don't touch anything, at 7:45 pm the devices will teleport themselves and anyone who the strap is around to the time specified which will be when we left to come, here it will be 6 minutes after we left, don't question how that works it was too confusing for me when River tried, it may be a bit tight but the straps will fit around 2 people. To make sure the suitcases come with you, both you and the person you're straps to must be holding on the handle." Simon explains then realises something and speaks directly to Mal "I realised earlier were going to need a bigger dinner table."

"What plant we parked on?" Mal asks.

"Persephone." Wash answers.

"Good we'll be able to pick up one there, maybe get some work from Badger before going to Ariel to do some money exchange. " Mal explains.

"You don't have to exchange all of it Mal keep some in case you need it." Inara tells him.

"Nara we've had this conversation, this fight, we need the money, I have money here, even though the conversion rate is low its better than nothing." Mal says once more and everyone can detect the annoyance in his voice.

"Fine Mal, I was just trying to look out for you." Inara respond angrily.

"I've thought this through Nara I don't need you to keep asking me." Mal responds Just as angrily.

Alexis who is on the couch next to Kaylee whispers "Are they always like that?"

"Pretty much, they find it completely normal though it's just how they are." Kaylee whispers back.

"I'm beginning to see that." Alexis whispers back.

"Wouldn't it be better to go exchange money before taking on a job from this Badger guy?" Esposito asks feeling it may be best to interrupt the fight that is going on.

"No, you need to get used to being on other planets before we attempt going deep into the core." Mal tells Esposito.

"So there are 17 of us who are paired with who?" Kate asks.

Mal thinks for a minute before answering. "Alexis and I, Inara and mother, Kate you and Zoe, Esposito and Jayne, Ryan and Simon, Jim and Shepard Book, Lanie and Wash, and Jenny and Kaylee. And little Albatross by herself though I'll need you to take my bag" Mal tells River who nods.

"We have half an hour before we will leave, go have something little to eat use the facilities before getting back here at 7:30." Simon tells the group as when it comes to time travel he takes over.

At 7:30 everyone arrives back and Simon once again reminds everyone not to touch anything and attaches the devices to everyone, at exactly 7:45 the devices glow and the 17 people standing in the Castle loft disappear.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

After what feels like a second the glow disappears and they are in a whole new time, seeing where they are Mal gets a smile on his face "I'm home." He mutters to himself.

"Where are we?" Ryan asks.

"Serenity's cargo bay, I'll give you tour." Mal tells the people who don't know their way around Serenity. Even though Mal only planed the tour for those new to Serenity it looks like everyone is going to join in.

Before anyone can go anyway the need to be detached from each other, Simon goes around and does this and collects the devices.

"Leave all your gear here, get it when I've shown you what's what." Mal tells the people from the past.

"Through there's the air lock and the way off Serenity" Mal says pointing to the outer door, then climbs up to the platform, above the cargo bay "That's the spare shuttle that we usually use for jobs, and that's Inara's shuttle which y'all go to ask before entering." Mal tells everyone, those who know how often Mal barges into that shuttle look surprised at that.

"You're telling everyone to do something that you yourself don't do." Inara says to Mal surprised and suspicious about why he is doing that.

"You're used to me just barging in, you may not like it but your used to it. If everyone else does it you're goin to come to me to complain and I really don't want to have to deal with that." Mal tells Inara.

"So you're not doing it for me but yourself." Inara realises not really surprised but notices that that may not be the whole story and puts it in the back of her mind to bring up later.

"Exactly." Mal says as he leads everyone else down the stairs into the infirmary/Passenger door area as Inara heads upstairs into her shuttle "Through there is the infirmary, Lanie, Jenny. Simon will show you what's what there later." Mal says before they walk to where the passenger dorms are. "Here are the passenger bunks, the three on you bottom right are Rivers, Simons, and Shepard Book. Jim, Mother you two can have the two on the left bottom, Kate, Lanie you guys can take the ones above them, Ryan and Jenny and Esposito, you guys have the bunks on the top right. Alexis you're goin to have the empty crew bunk which I'll show you in a minute." Mal tells everyone.

Mal turns and everyone follows up the stairs then through the corridor. "Through there is the engine room." He says pointing to the entrance then turns the other way to head to the living dining area.

"This is the dinning, kitchen area, I'm goanna go get a new table for in here soon, we all chip in with cooking and food like fresh fruit is rare." Mal tells everyone.

"through here is the crew bunks, mine, Kaylee's, Zoe/Wash, Jayne and Alexis that empty one is going to be yours,." Mal says as they walk into the crew quarters area pointing to each bunk when he says who it belongs to. "Up there is the bridge" Mal says to everyone pointing to where it is.

"Why don't y'all get settled why Zoe and I go get a table. Then we'll talk about a few things y'all need to know." Mal says, everyone nods then walk back to the cargo area. Zoe and Mal leave why everyone else collects there stuff.

"I'll show you how to get the hatch down for your room." Kaylee says walking over to Alexis as she noticed that the captain didn't tell her.

"Thanks."

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Mal and Zoe manage to find a table that wasn't too expensive and large enough to fit everyone so they bring it on board Serenity and put it in the dining area as they break the old one and store it in the cargo bay just in case they ever need wood.

"We'll go see Badger once I explain a few things." Mal tells Zoe. "Everyone to the dining area." Mal says over the intercom.

Everyone arrives at the dining area and the first thing Mal does is hand Ryan, Esposito and Kate each a weapon "These are the most like the gun's you currently use here's some amo an there's more in a kept in the cargo bay." He explains to them then addresses the group "Zoe, Jayne and I are goin to go see Badger see if he has work for us, Nara it may not be worth making any appointments till we know. If he does we'll most likely be getting out of here soon. Kaylee, Wash, River Serenity up for a long trip if needed?" Mal asks.

"She's all ready to go Capt." Kaylee tells him.

"Ok, Zoe, Jayne lets go." Mal tells them.

"Wait Rick aren't we coming?" Kate asks referring to her and the boys.

"Not on this one Kate, you guys need to get use to some things first. Badger may be a crook and an idiot but one thing he can do is tell wen someone isn meant to be here, at the moment he'll be able to tell, spend some time getting to know Serenity." Mal says kissing Kate on the cheek before they leave and everyone can tell that Kate isn't too happy about it.

Alexis hugs her dad goodbye and whispers "Be careful."

Mal smiles at his daughter as he Zoe and Jayne leave. Everyone else head in their own directions except for Kate, Inara and Lanie.

"You may not like it but he knows what he's doing when it comes to things like that." Inara tells Kate.

"He hasn't been here for a long time he may need more help than he used to have." Kate shots back, and Inara realises that Mal must have told her about their history and maybe what he wanted to tell her.

"With how much you stick out at the moment you will be more of a hindrance, Mal knows that you've got to trust him, you won't last two weeks on Serenity if you don't." Inara tells Kate before walking to her shuttle.

"What was that about?" Lanie asks completely confused about the irritation between the two when they have known each other a day.

"I'll tell you in your room. " Kate tells Lanie.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis spends some time walking around Serenity before arriving at the platform above the cargo bay where she just looks at the door.

"Hey." Kaylee says walking up and standing next to her "Do you still want me to show you what's what in the engine room?" She asks.

"Is it ok if we wait to Dad gets back?" Alexis asks.

"You're worried" Kaylee realises.

"I worried when he went on cases with Kate but this is different, I want to wait here for a while make sure he's gonna be ok." Alexis tells Kaylee.

Kaylee who realises it's what Alexis needs to do at the moment and it may be best to leave her alone puts her hand on top of Alexis's give it a little squeeze before she says "Come find me when he's back." Then she walks of

"Kaylee." Alexis says stoping her "Thanks for understanding."

"It's Shinny Alexis, we all do things in our own way"

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Lanie and Kate arrive back in the passenger bunk area and climb up the latter to get to Lanie's bunk.

"So what's with the tension between you and Inara?" Lanie asks.

"He loves her." Kate tells Lanie as they both sit on Lanie's bed.

"Who loves her?" Lanie asks confused.

"Rick."

"Are you sure from what I have seen they mostly fight and they don't seem like they can stand each other I mean yes he did name Alexis after he so there must be something between them, but love do you really think so?." Lanie asks Kate.

"Rick told me she's himself, she's his best friend and he will always love her." Kate explains.

"WHAT, when did he tell you that?" Lanie asks wanting all the details.

"The night they arrived when we went for our walk. He told me that Inara is his best friend and that he will always love her but I'm the one who he feels he belongs with that he loves me," Kate explains.

Lanie sits in shock about what she just herd not really sure what to say but does make a self-note to watch Mal and Inara carefully when they are together.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis continues to just stand on the platform waiting for her Dad to come back. After a little while of her standing there Inara comes out of her shuttle and walks over to Alexis.

"You ok Alexis?" She asks but doesn't get a responds "How about you come into my shuttle have a cup of tea, I owe you one." Inara says trying to get to talk.

"I'm waiting for dad." Alexis responds.

"From my shuttle you will be able to hear the second her gets back." Inara tells her.

"Promise?" Alexis asks.

"Promise." Inara says and Alexis follow Inara into her shuttle.

"Take a seat." Inara says pointing to the couch as she makes the tea.

"You're worried about your Dad." Inara realises as she sits down on the couch and hands Alexis her tea.

"Getting jobs is usually safe I don't think there has ever been a time where he has gotten hurt." Inara tells her then says "Oh hang on." She says remembering the duel.

"What, what happened?" Alexis asks worried

"There was once that he got hurt but it was kind of my fault to." Inara says quickly feeling like she may not be doing a great job of reassuring her she was trying to make Alexis feel better not worse.

"What happened?" Alexis asks once again.

"I'm not sure I should tell you." Inara tells her worried about how Alexis will feel when she tells her that story and wonders if it is going to make her worry more.

"You've already got me worried please Inara." Alexis begs wanting to know the story so that she knows how worried to be in the future.

"Ok" Inara says reluctantly not being able to stand the look of worry that Alexis has on her face "We were right her on Persephone, I was going to a ball with a client and I got quite a shock when Mal and Kaylee showed up, see Mal was there to get a job, long story short Mal and I danced and the client I was with said some things about me that Mal didn't like so he punched him, which was a challenge to and old fashion duel with swords." Inara explains to Alexis.

"Well that's good, Dad taught me how to fence and I was on the team at school, he's good." Alexis says to Inara allowing some of her worry to disappear.

Inara smiles "Back then he wasn't I had to teach him." Inara explains.

"So you taught Dad and then he taught me." Alexis realizes which for some reason makes her smile to.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Meanwhile Mal, Zoe and Jayne arrive at Badgers, they are shown in right away.

"Well, well Malcolm Reynolds good to see you have again, word was you were gone for good." Badger tells Mal.

"You know me Badger nothing can make me stay gone." Mal tells him.

"Your right there what brings you to see me." Badger asks.

"What always brings me to see you coin, got any jobs that a man like you can't do on his ownsem?" Mal asks.

"Well there is one thing I got to have done but you aint interested." Badger tells Mal.

"When have you ever known me to refuse a job?" Mal asks.

"It involves collecting and smuggling something off Herra." Badger tells Mal simply.

Mal looks at Zoe "Give us a minute"

Mal and Zoe walk outside why Jayne stays inside "Zoe could you do this?" Mal asks.

"We need to coin Sir, we got to. What you thinking." Zoe asks.

"That your right, we need to coin." Mal agrees and the pair walk back in.

"We'll take it what do you need." Mal says as they walk back in.

"Collect some merchandise from a Kyle Chang, has a shop outside of town get it off bring it here." Badger tells him "Usually terms." Badger tells him.

"Good doing business with you." Mal says as the three leave.

Together Zoe, Mal and Jayne walk back to Serenity. Stopping to stock up on things they're going to need on the 2 week trip to Herra. When they arrive back everyone but Alexis and Inara are in the cargo bay.

"Wash, River plot a course for Herra." Mal tells them when they walk in.

"Herra, Malcolm ?" Martha asks surprised, as Zoe goes and gives her husband a hug.

"Badger has a job there we need the coin." Mal says giving Kate a hug as he answers. "Where's Alexis?" Mal asks as at the moment the thing he needs most is a hug from his daughter.

"She was waiting up there for you to get back Cap, maybe Inara came and saw her so there up somewhere talking." Kaylee guesses.

"I'll see." Mal says as he walks up.

Mal enters Inara's shuttle to see Alexis and Inara talking and smiling, when she see her Dad Alexis goes running into his arms giving him a hug "Dad" she says as she does it.

Inara smiles at the two, when she breaks away from her Dad she goes and gives Inara a hug "Thank you, you made me forget I was so worried and scared, thank you." Alexis tells her.

"You're welcome Alexis, you're always welcome here." Inara tells her.

"Why is my daughter always welcome when I'm not?" Mal asks.

"Because your daughter is pleasant to be around." Inara informs him.

"You guys getting into a fight is my cue to go, I promised Kaylee I would hang out with her when you got back." Alexis tells her father and Inara as she leaves.

"What's wrong Mal?" Inara asks as she can tell Mal seems a bit different form how he was when he left to go see Badger, she can see that something is bothering him.

"The job Badger has for us is on Herra." Mal answers simply.

"Oh Mal." Inara tells him "Is there anything I can do?" She asks.

"Act like you normally do Nara, act like you normally do." Mal tells her.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

On her way to the engine room to see Kaylee Alexis runs into Kate.

"Hey Alexis, you Dad was looking for you." Kate tells her.

"I know I've already seen him." Alexis tells Kate.

"Where were you?" Kate asks curious.

"With Inara, we were talking she made me forget how worried I was about Dad." Alexis answers then looks around and notices that Kate is alone "Where is everyone?" she asks.

"Dad, Shepard Book and your grandmother are all in the dining area talking, Zoe is with Wash and River in the bridge, Simon is showing Lanie and Jenny how things in the infirmary work, Jayne is showing Ryan and Esposito his weapons and Kaylee is in the engine room." Kate answers as she herself was just walking around Serenity allowing herself to get a feel for the new environment.

"Where you heading?" Kate asks.

"Kaylee's I promised I would go see her when Dad got back." She tells Kate.

"Don't let me keep you."

Just as Alexis arrives in the engine room Mal's voice comes over the intercom.

"We are about to take off we will be arriving in Herra in approximately 2 weeks."

At that firefly takes off heading to the place where 2 members of the crew can never leave, the place that still haunts their nightmares.

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	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

Over the next couple of days everyone spend time getting to know each other and for those who the ship is new to getting to know the ship. Those who don't know how also get a crass course in how to speak Chinese in this time they have a long way to go but their getting there. 2 days after they leave from Persephone Kaylee, Alexis and Simon are down in the cargo bay shooting hops through the hop that is hung from the roof.

"We should play a game." Kaylee suggests.

"We need one more person." Simon points out, just as Simon says that Jayne walks out.

"Jayne, want to play we need another person." Alexis yells up to him.

"Sure." Jayne answers running down the stairs to join them.

"Me and Jayne, you and Simon." Alexis tells Kaylee.

"First to 15 goals." Kaylee tells Alexis.

The four play their game together, all having fun trying to bet the other team for no other reason aside from wanting to win. Despite not knowing each other to well Alexis and Jayne work well together both having a good amount of skill, proving a hard appoint for Kaylee and Simon who work together amazingly and both have a fairly decent amount of skill.

Hearing the noise Inara comes out of her shuttle to watch the four play the whole time having a smile on her face.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

While Alexis, Kaylee, Simon and Jayne are in having fun, Lanie and Jenny are in the infirmary still learning how everything works. Wash and River are in the bridge flying Serenity. Mal, Kate, Zoe, Ryan, Esposito, Shepard Book, Martha and Jim are all in the dining area listening to Mal's and Zoe's stories about the war.

"You sure you're going to be ok with going back there Rick?" Kate asks worried about how this trip is going to affect him as she has never seen him like this before.

"I have to be Kate." Mal tells them.

"Now about what is going to happen when we get there Kate, Ryan, Esposito, you will come with Zoe, Jayne and I to the job , the rest of you can stay on the ship or explore a little but don't go too far, and be careful about where you walk.' Mal says as Lanie and Jenny come in from the infirmary and River and Wash do from the bridge. They all spend some time talking until Kaylee, Alexis, Simon, Jayne and Inara walk in.

"Come on Kay, we bet you fair and square." Alexis says as they do.

"You sat on Jayne's solders at one point Lexis, that's again the rules" Kaylee responds.

"You did the same thing a minute before." Alexis reminds her.

"I still say we won, we defiantly got to 15 before you two." Kaylee responds as the four of them sit down totally oblivious that every pair of eyes are on them.

"No Little Kaylee, we did." Jayne tells Kaylee.

"I agree with Kaylee we did." Simon answers.

"Of course you agree, you're on the same team." Alexis objects.

"That's why you a Jayne are agreeing." Kaylee tells her.

"Inara you were watching the whole thing who won?" Alexis asks.

"It was close but I think Lexis and Jayne got the 15 basket before Kaylee and Simon." Inara says.

Alexis and Jayne high fiving and smelling and Alexis turns to Kaylee "I knew we one."

"Re match, 1 on 1 me gainst you." Kaylee tells Alexis.

"When?"

"Now, Shepard Book can referee right?" Kaylee asks feeling that if a Shepard is the ref neither side will argue with the outcome.

"Right." Shepard book says and follows the pair out.

"What was that all about?" Kate asks Simon and Jayne.

"First to 15 in space ball, Alexis and Jayne against Kaylee and I." Simon explains.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

2 nights later Zoe is sitting in the dining area drinking a cup of tea when Kate walks in "Hey." Kate says to Zoe "Hey" Zoe responds.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Kate asks.

"Not at all." Zoe responds.

"So you know Rick the best right?" Kate asks after a few minutes of silence as she has questions about Ricks life here and feels that maybe Zoe is the person who can answer them.

"Know him the best that's Inara, I apart from his mother is the person who has known him the longest, what do you want to know?" Zoe asks.

"What was he like before the battle of Serenity?" Kate asks once again feeling jealous about Mal and Inara's relationship.

"The first thing you have to understand is we met when we were assigned to the same unit so the war was already happening, when we first met we didn't get along I was career military Mal, he was basically the opposite, after spending a few days in the thick of it I discovered what kind of man he was I began to respect him, trust his judgment, even when some of his idea's seemed insane at the time. After most of the officers had gone down he took over like it was nothing he became the leader we needed at the time, you ask what's the most different about him back then he had faith in good, he was hopeful, he lost that then, and it changed him more than I could ever tell you, became who he is today." Zoe explains to Kate.

"Sounds a little like me." Kate mutters though not quite enough for Zoe not to hear.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"My mother was murder when I was in collage I was on my way to becoming a lawyer at the time. The detective that investigated said it was just an act of random gang violence but it wasn't, after that I changed I became a police officer instead and I put walls up I didn't let anyone in, I didn't want to be hurt like that again." Kate explains to Zoe.

"You let Mal in." Zoe points out.

"That took time, he slowly broke down the walls I put up." Kate explains.

"There's one difference Kate the person you were before you mum was killed was still there you just had walls protecting you. The person Mal was before hand is just gone. The only people I have ever know him to let in is this crew, Alexis I'm not surprised about she's his daughter. What I am surprised about is that he let you in, don't get me wrong Kate I like you but for Mal to let you in you're lucky Kate and you must be pretty important for it to happen." Zoe says before putting her cup on the sink and heading to her bunk.

Kate is in shock if she interprets the conversation correctly she just got the "Don't hurt my brother or you'll pay." Conversation from Zoe the one the boys gave Rick when they started dating. Kate puts her cup on the sink and heads to bed when she begins climb up the latter River pops her head out "It was a warning" she says before going back to her bunk.

Kate is surprised but understands that Rick is very important to the crew.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

2 days after Kate's conversation with Zoe, Alexis knocks on Inara's door.

"Can I come in?" She asks.

"Of course you can Lexis I told you that." Inara tells Alexis who walks in and takes her normal seat on Inara's couch.

"Tea?" Inara asks.

"Thanks." Alexis says with a smile.

Inara makes the two tea then sits on the couch as well, she can tell that there is something bothering Alexis so she makes a guess of what she thinks might be the most likely problem "You missing you Mom?" she asks.

"No, don't get me wrong I love Mom, but it's hard to miss someone who's never there." Alexis tells Inara.

"What do you mean?" Inara asks confused.

"You know Dad raised me didn't you ever wonder why, Mum was never around her acting was always more important she didn't even say goodbye when she went to Malibu and never came back, as I got older she made an effort to visit but she always talked about what she wanted had us do what she wanted, she didn't do what I want or see that the idea of who I was in her head isn't the me I really am." Alexis explains to Inara then adds "I've known you about a week and we have already talked more about me and I want than what Mom and I ever have."

Inara is speechless so she does the only thing she can think off and pulls Alexis into her side "So I'm assuming you didn't come in here to talk about you Mom. I'm not saying you had a reason because your always welcome whether you need a place to think, to get away or someone to talk to or anything else your welcome to come here but I can tell something's wrong what's bothering you, so what's wrong Lexis?" Inara asks running her hand through Alexis's hair and using the nickname that her and Kaylee started using a few days ago.

"I decided when I was planning to go to Stanford that I was either going to do Pre-Med or Science, more recently I decided that Pre-Med is what I wanted to do and I know that I can't go to school here because technically I don't exist and my Dad is wanted by the Alliance , but what I was wondering is do you think Simon would teach me? Train me," Alexis asks.

Inara smiles "I think he would. He always loves to share his knowledge you just have to ask." She tells her, Alexis smiles a little but looks down.

"You're scared to ask him" Inara realizes. "I though you and Simon were friends."

"We are but this is different from me asking if he wants to help Kaylee, River and I play a joke on Jayne, Wash, Ryan and Esposito, this is me asking if he would be willing to teach me how to be a doctor." Alexis tells Inara.

"So it was you four who started it." Inara says laughing "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, I can do it I just need time don't mention it to him, I just needed to know what you thought." Alexis tells Inara.

"Well you got it Lexis I think it will be amazing." Inara tells her.

"Thanks I've got to go meet Kaylee, River and Simon." Alexis says sitting up a little more.

"Getting the boys back for their attempted prank?" Inara asks.

"Yes, they deserve it." Alexis says.

"They didn't actually get to do what they were planning." Inara reminds her.

"They would have if it wasn't for River, we have to get back at them." Alexis tells her.

"Didn't you Dad say no more pranks?" Inara asks as she remembers Mal having conversation to that effect yesterday.

"He said no more dangerous ones once he discovered what the boys were going to do ours isn't dangerous, though you may want to close the door to your shuttle at 8 tonight, bye Inara." Alexis says giving her one more hug before she leaves.

"Bye Lexis"

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

2 days later Kate and Rick are lying in each other's arms in his bunk, one of the few times they have had to be alone.

"How you doing Rick?" Kate asks.

"I'm worried about going back there about what I'm going see, going to feel, I just want to get this job done as soon as possible." Mal tells Kate

"You don't have to do this job, neither does Zoe, Jayne, Ryan, Esposito and I can go and collect whatever It is and bring it back, you guys can stay on Serenity." Kate offers.

"Zoe and I talked, we decided that it would be best if we did the job like we always does try our best to put our mind everything else." Mal tells Kate.

"Shepard Book told me that there is a grave yard full off everyone who died in the valley there do you plan to go visit it?" Kate asks genially as she's not sure if it is a good idea for her to ask that or not.

"When did you and Shepard Book talk?" Mal asks.

"Yesterday when we were making dinner." Kate asks. "So are you?" she asks not sure if repeating the question is the best idea.

"No, to get there I'm goin to have to go near that Valley an I can't do that Kate I just cant." He tells her and Kate can her the pain the anger in his voice so decides to let it go but it seems like he isn't finished talking "I buried some of those bodies myself if I go back there another part of me won't be returning."

Kate can't imagine part of Rick disappearing as she only knows this rick the after so she cuddles herself into his body, shows herself that he's still there that he hasn't disappeared.

"The smell is finally gone." Kate tells Rick.

"About time I don't know what those girls were thinking." Mal tells Kate.

Kate laughs "You realize it was Alexis, Kaylee, River AND Simon not just girls." She reminds him.

"Yeah well." Mal says and Kate laughs.

After a little while the talking stop and they are just lying there together, in such comfort. It's not too long before Kate falls asleep but Rick doesn't. He thinks about everything about Serenity, the valley the people he cares about the most and not for the first time wonders if taking this job was the best idea, and wonders if this planet is going to take anymore of him.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

4 days after her talk with Inara Alexis finally gets up the courage to go and talk to Simon.

"Hey Simon." Alexis says walking into the infirmary.

"Hey Alexis, you Kaylee and River haven't came up with another crazy idea have you because my ears are still ringing after you Dad yelled, and my arms are sore from the cleaning we had to do when the prank war went wrong." Simon says to her.

"It wasn't that bad." Alexis tells him.

"Wasn't that bad the prank we set up for Ryan, Esposito, Jayne and Wash ended up going off on your father he was so angry." Simon reminds her.

"That was a timing issue, and I think River new the outcome and let it happen for her own enjoyment." Alexis says with a smile.

"I agree it defiantly sounds like something she would do." Simon says also smiling.

"But that's not why I'm here." Alexis tells him.

"Oh then what can I help you with?" Simon asks.

"As you know I was planning to go to college before I came here, and you don't have to tell me I can't go here I already figured that out for myself what I wanted to talk to you about is what I wanted to study. You see I decided that I was going to be pre- Med I wanted to become a doctor, and I know I would never be able to get properly qualified by I was wondering if you could teach me, train me in the basics so I would at least be able to help when people get hurt, what do you think?" Alexis asks.

"I think it would be a great idea." Simon tells her.

"Really?" Alexis asks.

"Yes, your smart Alexis I know you work hard, and for you to be asking me your dedicated. " He says before walking over and grabbing his Encyclopedia and putting the medical Science tab in, he walks over and hands it to Alexis "Here this is 100 chapters in length I want you to read the first 10 chapters then I'll give you a test, if needed you can help me with medical procedures. I'll give you 10 chapters at a time to read followed by a test and I will slowly increase the amount of practical things you can do on your own, but even when you read every chapter in the book and are doing procedures by yourself you learning isn't done, Alexis what I'm teaching you isn't going to be exactly like what you would be taught in a Medical Academy and it may not be everything you need. But yes I will teach you what I know." Simon tells her.

"Thank you Simon." Alexis says giving him a hug.

"You're welcome." Simon tells her.

Alexis walks out of the room happily.

"You made her very happy, you gave her something she really wanted, something she thought she wouldn't get." River tells her brother as she walked passed as Alexis left.

"If she's willing to put in the hard work there is no reason why she shouldn't learn." Simon tells his sister walking over to put his arm around her.

"You're going to be glad you did that." River tells her brother.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

2 Days later Lanie and Kate are in Lanies bunk talking.

"So Zoe gave you the don't hurt my brother talk a week ago and your only telling me now." Lanie says surprised.

"We've both been busy haven't had much time to talk." Kate defends.

"I guess, what did Castle say when you told him?" Lanie asks interested to know how Castle would react to Zoe giving Kate the don't hurt my brother talk.

"I didn't." Kate answers.

"Why not?" Lanie asks confused as to why she didn't.

"Because he doesn't need to know, his sort of sister threatening me in her own way is something that he doesn't know besides, there is some good in it Zoe and I talked and she said she likes me which is good." Kate explains.

"Your right there it is good, Alexis and Martha are both ok with you which means that all the important woman is his life are ok with you which is good." Lanie says.

"You're forgetting his best friend and two little sisters." Kate tells Lanie.

"Two little sisters?" Lanie asks confused.

"River and Kaylee, though River does seem to be ok with me but it's hard to tell with her and Kaylee and I haven't really had a chance to talk." Kate explains not really sure why she feels she needs the approval of all the important people in Castle's life she just knows she does.

"Is It just me or are Castle and Inara not talking?" Lanie asks as even though she knows that Kate doesn't like talking about Inara she wants to know what is going on and she was the one who bought up the topic of Castle's best friend.

"They had a fight a couple of days ago, haven't talked since." Kate explains.

"What did they fight about?" Lanie asks curious.

"No idea."

"They seem to fight a lot." Lanie comments.

"Apparently it's just how they are, they fight but there best friends, and are always there even if they had just had the biggest fight ever." Kate explains.

"Odd relationship"

"You're telling me" Kate tells her best friend.

"Have you noticed that Inara and Alexis have been spending time together?" Lanie asks as she has noticed that the young Castle and the companion have been spending a lot of time together.

"Yeah I think Alexis, wants to get to know the person that she is named after." Kate explains.

"And that doesn't bother you?" Lanie asks.

"A little." Kate reluctantly admits as she has noticed that Alexis talks to Inara who she has only known a little while a lot but she barely talks to her who she has known a long time.

"I gotter go, Wash and I have to make dinner tonight." Lanie tells Kate.

"Try and make it something good." Kate requests.

"It's packaged protein there is only so much you can do with it you know that." Lanie tells Kate before leaving her bunk.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Finally the day that Mal and Zoe have been dreading arrives the day that they are due to arrive at Herra. Zoe spends most of the morning in the bridge with Wash and River who are both flying. Mal spends his time walking around the ship before finally finding himself at the door to Inara's shuttle.

"Hey." Mal says as he walks in.

"Hello"

"I know we haven been talkin for the last few days and I'm sorry, but I need you Nara, about to go to the place where I lost everything, I can't act like that though I gotter be the Captain can't let emotions get in the way of the job. But I don't know if I can, can I stay here for a little while?" Mal ask.

Inara nods and Mal sits down on her couch, Inara walks over and stands in front of Mal "Your Malcolm Reynolds the only thing you can't do is go a day without callin me whore" She jokes trying to get him to smile which she does succeed in doing "You can do this it may be hard but you can. When we land you walk of this ship and you go do your crime, you both allow and don't allow yourself to think about where you really are, if you need me to I'll be right by your side. But Mal, you got this, you got to stop overthinking this you've never done that before don't do it now." Inara tells him.

"Thanks Nara. "

Before Inara has a chance to respond Wash's voice come over the intercom. "We'll be landing on Herra in 10 minutes."

"I got to go to the cargo bay go do captinly things." Mal tells Inara.

"Then go Mal, do what you got to do." Inara tells him.

Mal goes to leave but stops and turn back to Inara "Nara, I'm going to need you to kick me back together if I fall apart, remind me that I got a job to do." Mal asks.

"I can do that Mal, but what about Kate shouldn't she be the one to do that?" Inara asks not really waiting to bring up Kate but knowing that the question has to be asked.

"Usually Kate would kick my ass if I needed it but she won't here she would let me remember try and get me to deal thinking its best but it's not. If I fall apart I need someone to kick me to I'm as together as I can be, the one person who can do that Is you." Mal tells Inara.

"We'll then, if you fall apart I'll kick you back together." Inara tells Mal.

"Thanks Nara."

"No need to talk me Mal I was just reminding you of things you already knew, and doing what you would do for me if I was in your shoes." Inara tells him.

Mal makes his way to the cargo bay where everyone already is Alexis gives her dad a hug when he arrives and Kate gives him a hug, Inara follows him down and stands with Kaylee and Alexis. Zoe and Wash walk through to join them to.

"Wash who's landing her?" Mal asks.

"River." Wash answers.

Everyone feels the familiar thump of landing. After a few minutes Mal walks over and presses the controls to open the outer door and air lock, just as he does that River arrives.

"By my side Zoe." Mal says.

"Of course Sir." Zoe says as together they exist Serenity and walk out together like they did so many years ago, everyone else allows the pair to walk a little in front and then the follow.

Mal and Zoe look around and once they realizes where they are they both fall to their knees, they landed on a spot that overlooks the black that is Serenity Valley. Seeing his wife fall Wash runs up and kneel next to his wife pulling her into his arms. Alexis not being able to see the pain her Dad is in does the same. Kate looks at the two and stays where she is feeling that Mal needs to be with the person that is the most important person to him, his daughter.

Mal and Zoe just kneel there being held by the people that loves them the most overlooking the place where they lost so much with the rest of their family standing behind them, wanting to do whatever they can.

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

Inara allows Mal and Zoe to kneel there for a few Minutes then Mal's words come back to her and she realises this is what he was talking about this is what he needs her for. She slowly walks from her place next to Kaylee around Alexis so she is right in front of Mal she kneels so that she is looking him straight in her eyes, she sees more pain than she has ever seen in him, more than she ever wanted to, she grabs both of his hands gives them a squeeze then starts talking "Mal, its Inara focus on me don't look at the valley, just listen to me, look at me." Inara says then waiting to get some kind of responds.

"Nara.." Mal finally quietly mutters.

"Yeah Nara, you told me I had to kick you back together if needed that's what I'm doing, I'm right here Mal, Alexis is right next to you and to be honest your scaring her. Don't let this valley take anymore of you; don't let it destroy you all over again. Close your eyes and look away, get up and do your job, do your crime, you can do this Mal, were all here, you're not alone, there's no guns being fired, no bombs falling, You can do this." Inara says to him.

Everyone else is looking on Kate can't help but feel jealous that Rick asked Inara to help not her she notices that it does seem like Inara is helping and can't help but think that it should be her. Everyone else is hoping Inara can do something to help no matter how small as long as it helps.

"I can't Nara." Mal mutters, Inara does the only thing she can think to do, leans forward and gives him a hug "You can do this Mal, I won't leave you, you can beat this valley." She whispers into his ear.

With what feels like all the strength he has inside of him Mal breaks away from Inara and stands up, he faces away from the Valley, then he sees Zoe. He slowly walks over to her and like Inara did kneels in front of her. Meanwhile Inara stands up and gets pulled into a hug by Alexis.

"Zoe, go back to the ship I can do the job this black doesn't have to adsorbed you to." Mal tells his first mate.

"No Sir, we said we would stick together on this hell, if you go through the Black then I do to." Zoe says standing up still holding on to her husband for support.

Mal nods "Let's go." Mal says as he walks back to where Inara and Alexis is gives them both a hug and leads everyone to the town of Serenity View.

"Wash, you stay with Serenity, be best for your leg." Mal tells Wash.

"Can do Captain, you ok." He whispers to his wife who nods, so he turns and heads back to Serenity.

Mal and Zoe walk in front with everyone else following behind them. Neither allowing themselves to get caught in the memories not allowing each other to go back.

"You landed where you did on purpose didn't you?" Simon asks his little sister making sure he's not talking loud enough for anyone but her to hear.

"They needed to see it, see that it's just black that they can't let consume them anymore." River tells her brother.

After about 5 minutes of walking the reach the town, once they do Mal turns to face everyone.

"Jayne, Ryan, Esposito, Kate you come with Zoe and me, the rest of you stay around town, we'll come find you when we done." Mal says. Kate, Ryan, Esposito and Jayne follow Mal and Zoe who seem to be heading through town.

"Are they going to be ok?" Lanie asks looking at the original members of Serenity the people who knows the pair the best.

"It will be a battle one that will never end things could slowly get better then get worse again, got to enjoy the good." River answers.

"What do we do?" Jenny ask confused, not sure what to do when they are in a town, while the others are on a job.

"We look around, stay close to town in case something happens, and don't go off alone." Simon tells Jenny.

"You ok dear?" Martha asks walking over to her granddaughter.

"Yeah it was just such a shock to see Dad fall like that see him in so much pain." Alexis tells her grandmother.

"I know, Malcolm doesn't usually show that much, but being back here he just couldn't handle it." Martha tells her granddaughter.

"Should we be worried about the preforming a job when their like this?" Jim asks.

"No, Mal and Zoe might be in pain but now that there focused they won't let it get in the way of the job." Inara tells Jim.

"Let's look around, see what we can find." Kaylee suggests.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While everyone else is talking about whether they are ok or not Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Kate, Ryan and Esposito are making their way to Kyle Chang's store. They 6 people walk in total silence Zoe and Mal not wanting to talk and the others not wanting to bring the subject up, eventually they reach the shop. When they do Mal turns to everyone and addresses them, Kate, Ryan and Esposito more specifically.

"You let me do the talkin, and if Chinese is spoken don't get looks of confusion on y'all face, it's a give-away that you're not from here." Mal tells them before entering.

The 6 people enter the shop and see a man with blond hair, who is fairly tall standing behind the counter watching them suspiciously.

"What can I do for you?" The man asks.

"That depends you Kyle Chang?" Mal asks.

"So what if I am?" The man asks.

"Then it's more a question of what we can do for you, I'm Malcolm Reynolds, this is my crew, Badger sent us." Mal tells the man.

"Badger, he told me to expect you, didn't say there were so many of you." Kyle tells Mal.

"Recently increased my crew, didn't feel the need to broadcast it." Mal answers.

"I understand, the less people know one's own business the better, please follow me." Kyle tells Mal as he points to the door behind him and goes through it followed by Mal, Zoe, Kate, Ryan, Esposito, and Jayne, they follow the man through a hall way leading to a back room of some sort.

"The job is simple get 2 crates off here and go back to Badger and he'll organize the trade." Kyle tells Mal.

"Sounds simple."

"You can collect the crates tonight I don't want this to be done during the day, need the cover night does." Kyle tells Mal "8pm tonight come back and collect it take it to your ship."

"Done." Mal says as he and the crew leave.

They walk back through the corridor and through the shop and finally exist.

"We'll go find everyone else, tell them we should be outer her by 9 tonight." Mal tells the crew as they begin to make their way through the town. Kate walks faster so that she is standing right next to Mal "You ok?"

"Not now Kate, I can only focus on one thing at a time at the moment and that's the job." Mal tells Kate who is surprised to hear anger and undertone of coldness.

They arrive back in town and start to look for everyone, the look through a few places before finally finding them in a little shop, seeing everyone he says "Lets get back to the ship for now."

"Malcolm Reynolds you said you would never return." A voice says one that both Zoe and Mal recognize they see that it is coming from the young man who is talking to Alexis, by the look of him he looks like he can't be older than 20.

"Joey." Mal and Zoe say surprised walking over to the man as they didn't realises what shop their crew found themselves in, Alexis walks over to Inara and Kaylee with a look of confusion on her face.

"And Zoe." The man says equally as surprised.

"We never planned to return, but something came up." Mal says shaking hands with the man and Zoe does the same.

"Have you taken over now?" Mal asks the boy curious.

"Ma needed me to, she's got a lot worse than she was "Joey explains to Mal.

"Tell her that I said hallo and hope she has more good days." Mal tells the boy sadly

"You could always come to see you, both of you. She would love to see you again." Joey tells both Mal and Zoe.

Mal and Zoe look at each other, not really sure if they should or not, not sure if they can "She upstairs?" Mal asks.

"Yeah."

"We'll come see her." Zoe tells Joey, the simple act of Zoe accepting something for both her and Mal surprises the group as it is always the other way around.

"We'll be back soon." Mal tells everyone else as both Mal and Zoe follow the man upstairs.

"Anyone have any idea who that was?" Kate asks the group once again expecting for Inara to know something about her boyfriend that she doesn't.

"Maybe they knew him in the war" Alexis suggests.

"The war was 9 years ago, he would have only been a kid" Kaylee tells Alexis.

"He could have known his parents, they went up to talk to his mum so they must be familiar." Shepard Book points out.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle.**

Mal and Zoe follow Joey upstairs through a hall way and into what seems to be the master bedroom.

"Ma, look who's here." Joy says to his mother a woman who looks like she is only the same age as Mal and Zoe but looks very sick. Hearing her son she looks up and sees Mal and Zoe.

"I must be dreamin there is no way that Malcolm Reynolds and ZoeAlleyneare here they swore they would never come back, though If I was dreaming I don't know why I would be dreaming of them." The woman says when she sees Mal and Zoe.

"Oh it is us Paige." Zoe says walking over "How you doing."

"Same as I always am Zoe, just doing what I do." The woman named Paige says "You going to say hallo Mal." She asks.

"Hallo Paige." Mal says also walking over.

"So what are you two doing back on this sorry planet?" Paige asks.

"Got work." Mal tells her.

"You going to go to Valley?" Paige asks.

"No." Mal and Zoe say together.

"That doesn't surprise me." Paige says before a coughing fit cuts her off, Mal looks worriedly at Zoe then both of them look worriedly at Paige "Now you two don't look at me like that, it's just a little worse than it used to be." She tells the pair.

"We have a medic with us, want him to have a look?" Mal ask part of him hoping that she will agree though he knows that she won't.

"I know what he would say, you do to." Paige tells Zoe and Mal "How long you guys here?" she asks.

"Leaving tonight had a job to do that bought us here." Mal explains to Paige.

"Well then go I know you two you always have work to do, I'm glad you came to see me." She tells Mal and Zoe who nod then follows Joey down stairs,

"Joey send us a wave if there is anything we can do." Mal tells Joey as they do.

"I will."

"Good seeing you Kid." Mal says giving him a hug followed by Zoe who whispers something that the no one including Mal hears.

"Let's go." Mal says to the crew and his daughter who follow him out though Alexis gives him a smile and a wave as she leaves.

"Who was that Captain?" Kaylee asks.

"Tell you when were back on the ship." Mal answers

Everyone follows Mal back up the hill and back to the ship.

"You liked him, found him cute." Inara says to Alexis as they do.

"Can you blame me, he's the first guy I have seen since arriving who isn't my father, old enough to by my father, old enough to be my grandfather or dating and madly in love with my best friend." Alexis tells Inara.

"Jayne's none of those things." Kaylee playfully teases.

Alexis playful elbows Kaylee "No, just no, Jayne is like the scary older brother who you don't introduce to anyone because you're afraid he'll beat them up." Alexis says as she Inara and Kaylee all burst out laughing at how true that is.

Once they arrive back at the ship everyone follows Mal and Zoe back up to the dining room.

"So Rick who was the kid?" Kate asks interested wanting to know more about Mal's past.

"What kid?" Wash asks walking in.

"We were in a shop in town Mal and Zoe came in and they knew the kid running the place." Shepard Book explains.

"His father was in our unit." Zoe explains simply before Mal takes over.

"His Mother would have fought to but she was ill still is, the three of us, Zoe, me and his Dad was close friends, 2 days into the battle of Serenity Valley he was killed. When word reached the town his son Joey ran off his mother didn't know it but he stole his Dad's old weapon to join the fighting, he didn't care that he wasn't old enough he was only 12 he wanted to fight, Zoe and I saw him before he could get into the thick of it, when we found him would couldn't get him back to safety right away, he had to stay with Zoe and I for a day, we were finally able to get him back to his mother, he saw a day of the war and didn't try to run off again. That's who that kid was." Mal explains.

Everyone is surprised by that, shocked that a 12 year old kid would join a war that was killing so many adults.

"I remember you tellin me about him, after the war you and Zoe still kept in contact with him." Martha says to her son.

"We wanted to make sure he was ok." Zoe explains.

"What's the job." Shepard Book asks wanting to get the topic of the poor kid.

"We have to go back later tonight collect 2 crates get them off and get them back to Badger." Mal tells him. "So y'all go do what you want to then but meet back here at 7." Mal tells Everyone.

Everyone leaves the room except for him and Kate.

"You said we'd talk." Kate says to him.

"Let's go to my bunk." Mal tells Kate and they walk to Mal's bunk

"How you doing Rick?" Kate asks once she climbs down the ladder to enter his bunk.

"I honestly don't know." Mal admits.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kate asks wanting to do something to help him.

"No Kate I can't." Mal admits.

"We'll I'm here If you do." Kate tells him.

"You know what I want to do, I want to lay down and just for a little while forget where I am." Mal tells Kate.

Even though Kate wants to discuss the topic of Inara she decides that it may not be the best time so she walks over to Ricks bed and sits down on the edge. "If that's what you want to do then do it." Kate tells him and Rick walks over and lays right next to her.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Ryan, Esposito and Jayne have decided to use the extra time to get some working out the three of them when for a quick jog followed by some weight lifting each of them trying to beat each other. Esposito ending up out lifting both of them, which caused Jayne to become very angry.

"How the Guai, did you beat me." Jayne asks Esposito.

"I'm stronger isn't it obvious." Esposito says to Jayne.

"You couldn't beat me in a shooting contest." Jayne tells Esposito.

"Wow, hang on guys you can't have a shooting contest here." Ryan says to Jayne and Esposito.

"Sure we can." Esposito tells him. "We can use the wood from the old table as targets draw on bulls' eyes." Esposito says.

"Good idea, then we'll see who's the best" Jayne tells Esposito.

Together Esposito and Jayne use chains to tie the planks of wood up to the above platform and then use a pen to draw balls eyes on. Throughout the process Ryan is standing there telling the two that they are insane and that it really isn't a good idea, but neither of them are paying attention to him they are both to determine to beat the other.

"Yours left mine right." Jayne says to Esposito.

"Who goes first." Esposito asks and they both look confused for a second.

"How about rock, paper, scissors." Ryan suggests despite how much he doesn't approve of what they are doing.

"Do you know what to do?" Esposito asks Jayne not sure if they have rock paper scissors in the future.

"Of course I know what to do." Jayne tells Esposito and he wins and gets to go first he shots from the line the worked out earlier

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Mal is still laying with Kate in a complete state of relaxation when he hears the gun shot, "that was a gun shot." Mal says grabbing his gun and climbing as fast as possible up his ladder with Kate right behind him.

Mal runs in the direction of the cargo bay as that is where he herd the shot coming from. Half way between his bunk and the cargo bay he hears another shot that only makes him run faster "Zoe what's going on?" He asks seeing who is right in front of him.

"Don't know sir" Zoe tells the captain and they both continue running when they reach the cargo bay they see almost everyone else standing above looking down at Jayne and Esposito both of whom are still standing next to each other holding their guns , Mal seeing the two walks down and stands in front of them and everyone can tell that he is angry.

"What the Guai, do you two Chwen Joo, think you are doing?" Mal asks but neither answer him, "ANSWER ME."

"We were working out and I could lift more than Jayne, but then he said I couldn't out shot him, so we decided to see if was true." Esposito explains surprised at how scary Castle can look when he is angry.

"You have shooting contests at a shooting range, outside, NOT ON MY SHIP." Mal yells then to angry to deal with them walks off so Zoe takes over.

"Until the job tonight you two are to stay in your Bunks, you are not allowed to leave, Understand." Zoe tells the pair, unlike Mal she doesn't yell but everyone can hear the anger in her voice.

"Understood, Mam." Esposito says.

"Go." She tells both of them.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castel Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

When 7 arrive everyone comes to the kitchen, so that Mal can explain to them the details of the job.

"Wash, River, and Kaylee you three have Serenity ready to go quickly if needed. Doc, Lanie, Jenny you have the infirmary read just in case. Zoe, Kate, Ryan, idiots one and two your with me." Mal says before Turing to walk off, but Alexis walks up and gives her dad a hug "Good luck Dad, be careful."

"I will pumpkin." Mal tells his daughter as he Zoe, Kate, Ryan and Esposito walk out.

"Inara can I stay with you in your shuttle to they get back?" Alexis asks walking up to Inara once her dad leaves.

"Of course. " Inara tells her putting her arm around her shoulders and leading Alexis to her shuttle.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Mal, Kate, Zoe, Ryan, Esposito, and Jayne leave Serenity and make their way down through town and to Mr Change's store. Zoe and Ryan are riding the mule why Kate, Mal, Esposito and Jayne are walking besides it.

"Zoe drive it around the back, you and Ryan wait there for us to bring out the crates." Mal tells Zoe as he, Kate, Jayne and Esposito enter the shop, as Mal is doing his usual sweep of the area he notices that there are about 6 horses tied around the side, completely tacked up and he files the knowledge away in case he needs it in the future.

"Mr Chang." Mal says as they enter the store.

"Come quickly, some local law men were around not too long ago you have to take the stuff quick." Mr Chang says quickly and everyone can hear the worry in his voice, and it's clear that he would get in trouble for whatever is in the crates.

Mal, Kate, Esposito and Jayne quickly follow Mr Chang. Though as they do Mal says to Wash through the commination "Get her ready to go, law been spotted in the area want once we get the job done and us gone as quickly as possible."

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" Mal asks Kate and Esposito who both nod.

"Good we get the stuff on the mule, we borrow the horses I saw around the side get back to Serenity as quick as possible." Mal whispers to them.

The four of them arrive in the other room collect the two crates Kate and Mal holding one Esposito and Jayne holding the other, as quickly as possible the collect the crates and load them on the mule.

"Captain." Zoe says worried noticing a light coming closer.

"Go." Mal hisses at Zoe and Ryan, who speed of on the Mule.

"Come on." Mal says to Kate, Esposito and Jayne as he leads them around the side to the horses that Mal saw when they arrived, as they do all they can all see the light moving quicker and straight for them.

The three of them get on the horses as quickly as possible and start to gallop back to Serenity, they hear yelling and feel bullets flying pass their head, none of them hitting anyone though "Wash in the air in 3 minutes." Mal say over the communicator. They are nearly at Serenity when Mal feels a sharp pain in his arm and he knows he got shot, he falls forward a little but he doesn't let himself full he focuses on ridding. Unfortunately they are in a place that has enough light that Kate sees and starts to panic '"RICK" she yells worried.

"Kate doesn't worry about me Keep riding." Mal tell Kate, within second they are close enough to Serenity to get of the horses and run the rest of the way. Once they get of the Horse Esposito and Jayne both fire back at the figure that shot Mal and it looks like the both hit him.

"Wash, River were on, go." Mal says over the communicator when everyone is on board and he has hit the buttons to close the air lock and door, he looks around the cargo bay an notices Zoe and Ryan loading the cargo into the hidden hatch, something Jayne and Esposito go and help them with when they realizes.

Alexis comes running down the stairs closes followed by Inara she throws her arms around her dad, only pulling away when she notices the winch.

"Dad what's wrong," She asks worried then notices his arm "YOU'VE BEEN SHOT." Alexis yells in complete terror.

She once again throws herself around him but this time around the side of him that hasn't been shot "Alexis I'm ok, it's just a graze, but Simon does need to look at it." He tells his daughter not wanting his daughter to worry but he can tell that it's a through and through wound, and that he is losing blood so he does need medical attention. Alexis is so worried that she doesn't seem like she is going to be letting go any time soon. Doing the only thing he can think of he sends a look over her head to Inara with that clearly says "help me." hoping that she can get Alexis to let go of him as Inara and Kaylee are the people that Alexis is closes to, he does that as he can feel the pain intensifying and can feel the bleeding and he realizes that he needs to get Simon to fix it. Seeing the look Inara walks over, and talks directly to Alexis.

"Lexis, you Dad needs his arms checked, you can stay with him but you need to let go so he can." Inara tells him and Alexis reluctantly lets go and so her Dad can walk to the infirmary but she is holding onto her dad's hand with one of her hands and Inara's with the other.

"Where's Kate?" He asks as they are walking.

"Right behind you Rick." Kate says as everyone else has followed them up from the cargo bay.

"Did you or the boys get hit?" Mal asks worried.

"Nah were fine." Kate tells him.

"Malcolm." Martha says worried when she sees her son.

"I'm fine promise." Mal tells his mother.

When they arrive at the infirmary Simon, Lanie and Jenny are waiting.

"You're all going to have to wait outside." Simon tells everyone but Alexis doesn't seem like she wants to let go of his hand, seeing that Simon walks up and speaks right to Alexis "Alexis I know I said you could observe and help out with procedures, but not when it's you dad, you have to wait outside." Simon tells Alexis.

"But.."

"Alexis you herd the doc, wait outside with Nara to you can come inside." Mal tells his daughter who reluctantly lets go of his hand and throws herself in to a hug with Inara.

"Let's sit down." Inara says leading her to the couch, just as they sit down Kaylee comes running down the stairs and seeing Alexis being held by Inara sits down beside her and grabs her hand, knowing that her best friend needs her. Jenny goes inside to help Simon but Lanie stays and stands with Kate, realizing that like Kaylee her best friend needs her.

"What was that you and Alexis was talking about?" Mal asks.

"She wants me to train her; I gave her a book to read, going to show her how to do procedures." Simon tells Mal before he dopes him.

"Thank you." Mal says before he passes out.

Alexis is sitting on the couch being held by Inara as Kaylee holds her hand and Martha looks worriedly at her granddaughter. After less than an hour Simon comes out "Simon?" Alexis asks.

"He's fine, it was a through and through wound with a couple of fragments still inside his arm will be fine in about a week, a little pain during that time" Simon tells everyone.

"Can I see him?" Alexis asks.

"Of course, but only three or so at a time." Simon tells Alexis.

After giving Alexis a hug Kaylee let's go of Alexis and so does Inara "Aren't you coming?" Alexis asks Inara.

"Simon said three at a time, that's you your grandmother and Kate, I'll wait out here for now." Inara tells Alexis and Kate is surprised that Inara is suggesting that she goes in first and has to admit that she is thankful that she did.

"I'll be right here, I promise." Inara tells Alexis who gives her one more hug before going with her grandmother, and her father's girlfriend to see him.

"Daddy." Alexis says sounding so much like a scared little kid as she walks over and picks up his good hand to hold.

"I'm ok Pumpkin, the Doc does good work, this would take a few weeks to heal back in the past will only take a few days here." Mal tells his daughter allowing her to hug him.

"You scared me." Alexis tells her father.

"I know." Mal tells her running his hand through his daughters hair.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle  
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A few days after the shooting Serenity is making its way back to Persephone. Alexis, Kaylee and River are down in her bunk playing a game that River and Kaylee invented a little while ago, while everyone else is in the kitchen talking.

"So I have to get this ball to fall into that hole right?" Alexis asks Kaylee as the tree of them are sitting around what looks like a box with holes in it.

"Yep." Kaylee tells Alexis.

Alexis nods in understanding but before she can drop the ball she bends over and grabs her stomach crying out in pain as she does. "Lexis." Kaylee says worried crawling on her knees around to her, but the only responds she gets is another cry of pain. Kaylee looks over to River and sees something she doesn't see often in the girls face, worry.

"Go get Simon, NOW." River tells Kaylee worried she craws over to Alexis and puts her head in her lap.

"Just breath Lexis, Simon's going to help." River says to Alexis trying to reassure her but she does sound very worried.

Kaylee who realizes this must be bad for River to act like that gets up and as quickly as possible climbs up the ladder and runs into the kitchen "SIMON COME QUICKLY SOMETHINGS WRONG WITH ALEXIS AND EVEN RIVER IS WORRIED." Kaylee yells as soon as she does.

As soon as Kaylee says something's wrong with Alexis, Simon goes running down to Alexis's bunk as quickly as possible, so fast that the only people in front of him are Mal and Inara.

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review.**

"Alexis what's wrong, what hurts?" Simon ask as soon as he gets down to her bank, everyone else right behind him, kneeling next to her but he doesn't get a response as all Alexis is doing is crying.

"Her Appendix burst, I didn't see it coming, there was nothing I could do, I didn't know." River tells Simon.

"It's ok River" Simon says reassuring to his sister "Jayne, Esposito help me get her out of here." Simon say to the two as Esposito careful picks her up and carry's her to the hatch where he gently pasts her to Jayne who carries her to the infirmary.

"Jenny, Lanie I'm going to need both of your help with this." Simon tells them.

"Doc, what's going on is she going to be ok?" Mal asks worried only getting rid of the shock of seeing his daughter lying on the floor in pain.

"I don't know." Simon truthfully answers.

"What how can you not know?" Mal asks angrily and scared.

"Appendicitis is dangerous, can be fatal but an Appendix that bursts with no warning is even more dangerous only 5 precent of cases and those are the most fatal because it takes too long to get medical attention, time is critical ." Simon tells Mal as they arrive at the infirmary, when they do arrive at the infirmary Simon starts to collect the equipment then notices that Mal doesn't look like he is about to leave "No you can't be in here."

"Of course I'm going to be in here that's my daughter, my little girl." Mal tells Simon.

"That's why you can't be in here Mal." Simon says as he dopes Alexis. "I need to focus I can't do that with you looking over my shoulder."

"He's right Rick." Kate says trying to get him to leave.

"No I'm staying." Mal says fighting to stay.

"Jayne, Esposito, Ryan get him out of here don't let him back to I'm done." Simon tells them and with difficulty the three manage to get him out and close and lock the door.

"Dam it Alexis, don't do this to us." Simon says as he starts his work.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castel Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Meanwhile everyone else is outside the infirmary Mal is pacing back and forth wanting to go in there and be with his little girl though he can't. Inara is sitting on the couch in an almost numb state shocked at seeing the little girl that she cares about so much love so much in so much pain, seeing the look on Inara's face Shepard Book walks over and holds his hand, River and Kaylee both sit down next to Inara, who puts out her other hand for both of them to hold. Everyone else is just standing around the room no idea what to say or what to do.

"Rick sit down, it could be a long procedure, you don't want to tier yourself out." Kate tells him from where she is sitting the stairs.

"I can't Kate that is my little girl in there, my world if she doesn't make it I don't know what I'm going to do I don't know if I could keep going." Mal says then slides down the wall and puts his head in his hands. Martha walks over to her son and kneels in front of him.

"Malcolm Reynolds don't talk like that, Alexis is too much like her father to give up, she is strong, she is to stubborn to leave you, she is going to keep fighting you've got to trust that. Believe that your little girl is going to keep fighting." Martha says sitting down next to her son holding his hand. "You told me yourself Simon is an amazing doctor and he's not trying to save her by himself he has Lanie and Jenny with him to, she has the best care she could have." Martha tells her son.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

"Have you ever operated on a burst Appendix?" Lanie asks Simon as they begin work.

"I once had a patients who's Appendix burst just as we were doing the opening cut, this is going to be worse though." Simon says opening Alexis belly to see puss all through the abdominal canal.

"Jenny hook her up the strongest antibiotics we've got she's going to need it," Simon tells Jenny, as he and Lanie begin to suction out the puss.

The two doctors and Nurse work together to suction out the puss that begins to mix with blood, once they have gotten enough of the puss out they begin to work repairing the hole in the intestines and turning what is left of the appendix into the stump, during the whole procedure they have to worry about visibility as even though they have collected a lot of the puss there is still a lot left. Simon has turned what is left of the appendix into the stump, and he and Lanie are working on and almost completely finished repairing the hole in Alexis's intestines when he heart bets goes erratic.

"What's going on?" Jenny asks.

"The infection Is traveling through her system, very rapidly" Simon tells Jenny and Lanie looking at her vital signs "Get me a 3, 15cc needle of pure strong antibiotics." Simon tells Jenny.

"You're going to insert the antibiotics directly into her internal abdominal, directly to the spots where the infection is coming from has that ever been done before?" Lanie asks as she has never seen or heard of it being done.

"It's done rarely in cases of very bad infections, the infection has to be very severe for this work correctly otherwise it can case cardiac arrest . " Simon explains to Lanie.

"Are you sure she's at that place?" Lanie asks.

"As sure as I can be." Simon say though he is nervous. He collects the first needle from Jenny and inserts it into near where her appendix used to be, he then uses the second and inserts it into the intestines "This one is the most dangerous, watch her vital carefully." Simon says collecting the third needle and taking a step up so he can lean over just above her heart as he does he whispers "Don't die on me Alexis, ok, just keep breathing." He says before inserting the needle pushing the plunger through the skin and directly into her heart.

Jenny, Simon and Lanie are all holding their breaths waiting, after about a minute her vitals regulate, and they all let out the breath they were holding.

"Good Girl Alexis," Simon says before turning to Jenny and Lanie "Ok repair the hole in the intestines suction anymore puss that comes out and then close her up I want her off this table as soon as possible." Simon tells Lanie and Jenny and the three work together to complete what they need to, all three of them watching her vitals carefully.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

45 minutes later, Simon, Jenny and Lanie exit the Infirmary.

"Malcolm." Martha says as she sees them walk out.

"Doc?" Mal asks worried as he stands up and walks over to them.

"She's stable." Simon tells Mal. Mal looks happy and hugs his mother and Kate before he realises that he only said she was stable not that she is ok.

"Is she going to stay stable, will she be ok?" Mal asks him.

"Alexis has a severe infection I had to do a procedure that is very dangerous unless the patient has a very very bad infection. It went well and will help clear the infection she is going to continue to need antibiotics but at the moments she's stable, though she's not completely out of the woods." Simon explains.

"How long until she is out of the woods?" Inara asks.

"She should wake up in the next few hours, if after 24 four hours she hasn't gotten worse then she would be out of the woods." Simon explains.

"Can I sit with her?" Mal asks.

"Of course." Simon says letting him in.

Inara looks to her side to talk to Kaylee and River when she notices that she is gone. She wants to go sit with Alexis and see for herself that she is ok, but seeing Mal she realises that he needs to be alone with his daughter at least for a little while, so she goes to find Kaylee and River as she knows that they need her two.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara looks around Serenity trying to find Kaylee and River when she finally finds them sitting on Kaylee's bed.

"Oh Mei-Mei's." Inara says walking over sitting on the bed between them and pulling them both into her side.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Everyone else is standing outside the infirmity looking at Mal holding his daughters hand looking at nothing but her.

"Maybe someone should go in there get him to have so chow, some rest." Wash suggests.

"I'll go." Kate says walking in.

Kate walks into the infirmary and stands next to Mal who doesn't even seem to notice her walk in, he just continue to look at Alexis "Rick you herd Simon she won't wake up for a little while why don't you go and get some rest and have some food, one of us will sit with her." Kate tells him sounding worried for him, he doesn't ever signal that he heard her, all he is doing is holding his daughters hand and looking between her and her vital signs. Kate waits a few minutes trying to get him to show that he herd but she gets nothing. She finally realizes she is going to get nothing out of him and walks out to join the crowd off people.

"Nothing, it's like he didn't even here me." Kate tells them.

"Let me try dear." Martha says walking in as she like Kate and everyone else is worried about her son.

Martha walks in and like Kate tries to get his attention but doesn't succeed, she sits for a little while holding her granddaughters hand and realizes that he needs to be alone and Silent until he is ready to communicate. After about half an hour Martha exists the infirmary.

"He needs time just give him that he'll talk when he is ready." Martha tells the group and after one last look at her son and granddaughter heads back up to the kitchen.

After 20 more minutes Kate can't stand It anymore she turns and addresses Zoe only person apart form her and her dad that are outside the infirmary , Simon is inside checking everything and everyone else is at dinner "Zoe, can you try see if he'll talk to you?"

"Kate I know your worried but you herd Mrs R. he needs time, we got to give him that." Zoe says not feeling that comfortable with going to talk to Mal when he is that state as she knows how he can be like.

"Please Zoe, I've never seen him like that, maybe you can get through to him." Kate begs.

"I'll ask if the captain wants some food but if he shows no sign of wanting food or wanting to talk like he did to the rest of you, I walk right back out I aint going to force it." Zoe says before reluctantly entering the infirmary.

After a few minutes she leaves again "Just give him time Kate, I'm goin to have some food, you should think about doing that yourself." Zoe says before leaving.

"She's right Kate, you should have some food." Simon says walking out.

"How is she?" Kate asks.

"The same which is a good thing." He tells her looking back at Alexis "I'm going to find River and Kaylee, you should grab some food you're no good to anyone if you pass out from starvation." Simon tells Kate then leaves to find Kaylee and River.

"He's right Katie." Her Dad tells him and she nods and follows him to the kitchen.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Simon looks for Kaylee and River and find then asleep on Inara in Kaylee's bunk.

"Hey" he whispers to Inara.

"Hey." She quietly says back as she says carefully lifts Kaylee and River off of her being careful not to wake them.

"How's Alexis?" Inara asks and Simon can tell that she is worried which he isn't surprised considering how close they are.

"She's doing as ok as she can, you should go sit with her Inara, I've got Kaylee and River." Simon tells her.

"You sure?" Inara asks.

"Positive, go Inara." Simon tells her, Inara gives him a quick hug before walking to the ladder.

Inara starts to climb up the ladder when before turning back to Simon "How's Mal doing?" she asks.

"Not looking at anyone except Alexis, not talking." Simon tells her as he goes and sits on Kaylee's bed with his sister and girlfriend.

Inara climbs up the ladder and walks through the kitchen to where everyone is.

"Inara dear do you want so food?" Martha asks.

"No, thank you Martha." Inara says walking through the kitchen and everyone realizes that she is going to go see Alexis. Watching her go and realizing where it is that she is going, Kate quickly finishes eating so she can see whether Inara gets through to Mal.

Inara enters the infirmary, glances at Mal then pulls a chair up and sits on the opposite side holding Alexis other hand. Inara doesn't try to talk to Mal as she knows it will be no use that he will talk if and when he is ready. After almost an hour Mal finally talks.

"You not goin to try get me to eat or sleep?" Mal asks surprised not looking up from Alexis for a second.

"I figured the next person who did would be shot and I don't fancy getting shot." Inara responds and she like Mal doesn't look up from Alexis.

"Kaylee and River?" Mal asks simply.

"Asleep, Simon's with them" Inara tells him.

The two spend another 15 minutes in silence before Mal talks again. "She looks so small, so fragile, she looks like she is a little kid." Mal tells Inara complete pain and worry clear in his voice.

"Little kid." Inara thinks to herself and realizes something that Alexis is going to want when she wakes up even though she feels she's too old to ask for it. Realizing this Inara carefully puts Alexis's hand back by her side and gets up.

"Where you goin?" Mal asks surprised that Inara just suddenly got up.

"Realized something she's going to want when she wakes up, I'll be right back." Inara tells Mal as she leaves the infirmary and begins to walk to Alexis's bunk, as she begins to climb up the stairs she runs into Kate, "Kate" Inara says surprised.

"You got him to speak." Kate says simply and starts to follow her.

"Yes."

"How did you do that?" Kate asks surprised.

"I simply let him come to me, I know Mal sometimes he needs time." Inara tells Kate.

"I know him to." Kate says immediately going on the defensive "How come I didn't know that." Kate asks as they arrive in the kitchen area.

"Because you don't know all of him, and I admit I don't either but there is one thing I know that you don't. For you to know Mal for him to let you in, you have to first. Mal will be there for someone more that many think is possible even if it kills him, but he won't let people be there for him. A big step for him to let you in is if you let him in first, he believes that you can't let someone if they don't do the same for you." Inara tells Kate.

"How do you know that?" Kate asks interested admitting that she may be right remembering how he acted after she got shot, how angry he was that she didn't tell him that she needed more time than she originally said.

"Time, some of it has come out in arguments other bits come out by something he does or say." Inara explains then after a few minutes of silence says "I can see you care about him Kate and I know you make him happy and that's more important than you realizes, but you can't push him, you can't try and change him because If you do, your whole relationship will be gone not just your romantic one, and he will be more closed that he was before. Let him come to you, it may take time but just let him do it in his own time." Inara says then walks off before Turing back "Remember what I said you'll regret it if you don't" she says before Turing and heading to Alexis's bunk.

"Holey crap she's in love with him." Lanie who neither Kate nor Inara realized was there says from the couch.

"Lanie." Kate says surprised.

"Let's go to my bunk." Lanie says to Kate and they both leave the kitchen and head back to the passenger dorm area.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara sits down on Alexis's bed allows herself a few minutes to collect herself before finding Monkey Bunkey and a few other thinks that Alexis might like such as Simon's encyclopedia and her favorite pillow that she brought here with her from the past. She looks around making sure that there is nothing else that Alexis would want when she wakes, and if she does she can always come back and get them. She picks up the three items and heads back to infirmary.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Meanwhile why Inara is in Alexis's room collecting what she needs and making her way back to the infirmary Kate and Lanie are in her bunk talking about Inara.

"I don't see how you think she loves him, she basically told me how to make sure I don't screw up our relationship." Kate says to Lanie.

"She done that because even though she loves him she doesn't feel like they can be together, but she wants him to be happy." Lanie explains.

"How can you tell that?" Kate asks.

"Body language, reading between the lines of what she said." Lanie explains.

"I don't know." Kate tells her friend not sure how to feel if it is true.

"What them carefully when we're all together you'll see." Lanie tells Kate.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara arrives back at the infirmary when she does she doesn't say a word to Mal, she just puts Simon's encyclopedia on the desk, moves the pillow that is under Alexis's head to put her own and tucks Monkey Bunkey under the blanket with her, then she sits back down and holds Alexis's hand.

"Thanks." Mal says simply, unable to believe that he forgot about Monkey Bunkey.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

An hour later Alexis shows no sign of waking. Inara and Mal are still in the same place they were, each holding Alexis's hands so she knows she's not alone, neither saying a word. Kaylee, River and Simon have just came to come see how she is doing they see the three and just stand outside the door.

"Why hasn she woken?" Kaylee asks Simon worried.

"The surgery was a lot, it took a lot out of her." Simon explains.

"When will she wake up?" Kaylee asks really worried about the girl who along with River have become her best friends.

"Could be any minute, but I could not be for hours, we just don't know" Simon tells her.

The three stand in silence for a few minutes before River says "Daughter and her Father, daughter and her Mother, not always together but a family, always will be, so much love, so much care nothing can break them apart, so much love"

Kaylee and Simon look at each other and then look at Mal, Inara and Alexis and have to admit that if they didn't know better they would swear the three were a family.

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**The precent about how many appendix's spontaneously burst is made up, I myself have had my appendix out so do know how much it can hurt. Also some of this medical knowledge may be wrong, I am only in my first year of my nursing degree so I used knowledge I have as well as research and then I had to rule that against how things would have become defend 500 years in the future. **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

Alexis goes through the night still being stable but showing no sign of waking up. Mal and Inara have been sitting with her the whole time, neither talking just looking at her. Finally at about 8 am she slowly starts to stir. Inara and Mal notice that and both quickly stand up.

"Alexis, its Dad can you hear me?" Mal asks his daughter.

"Daddy?" Alexis says slowly opening her eyes.

"Yeah Daddy" Mal says to his daughter over joyed that his daughter is awake.

"Inara?" Alexis asks quietly, she can't explain why but she wants Inara there with her.

"I'm right her baby girl." Inara tells her, and then turns to Mal "I'll go get Simon."

"No don't go." Alexis begs her.

"Ok, I'm not going anywhere." Inara tells Alexis, and she sees that Simon along with River, Martha and Kaylee must have been coming to see how Alexis is doing because they are at the door, when they see that Alexis is starting to wake up they rush in. Kaylee goes and stands next to Inara while River stands with Mal and Martha stands at the end of Alexis's bed.

"Alexis, its Simon." Simon says standing next to Alexis as Inara and Kaylee move down a little though Alexis doesn't let go of Inara's hand.

"Simon, my belly feels wired." Alexis tells Simon.

"You're not completely out of the sedation we had you under." Simon tells lifting the top of the bed so she's sitting up a bit more.

"Gram." She says with a smile on her face.

"Hey Honey." Martha tells her granddaughter.

"Kay, Rivi you're here." Alexis says with a smile or as much as a smile as she can produce while still slightly sedated.

"Of course we're here Lexis." Kaylee tells her.

"What happened?" Alexis asks Simon.

"Your appendix bust." Simon explains while he checks her vitals and everything else.

"But there was no warning signs." Alexis says to Simon "I would have told you if I was having pain."

"We think you were in the five precent that has no warning signs." Simon explains.

"Oh, " She says then asks then after a few minutes of silence asks "How long do I have to stay in here when can I go back to my room?" she asks as she doesn't want to have to stay in this room for any longer than she has to as it is kind of boring and the bed isn't really comfortable.

"You have to stay in here for at least another few hours and as to when you can go back to your room, I don't know if you can for a few days you won't be able to get down the hatch." Simon tells Alexis. "And if there is an emergency it's hard to get you up it"

"She can stay in my shuttle with me." Inara says "That's if you're ok with it." Inara tells Alexis.

"I don't want to be in your way." Alexis tells Inara.

"You won't be." Inara tells her. "It's the best place to be its close to the infirmary, easy to get in and out of and there will be someone with you." Inara explains

"Then I'm fine with it." Alexis tells Inara not wanting to admit that she doesn't want to be alone for a little while.

"Then in about four hours I'll get one of the boys to carry you to Inara's." Simon tells Alexis.

"How long have I been out?" Alexis asks Simon.

"Your appendix burst yesterday afternoon, the operation took a couple of hours and you've been out for a while it's 8am." Simon tells her.

"You ok Dad?" Alexis asks worried as she realises that he has been quite.

"You scared me Pumpkin." Mal says gently bending down to give her a hug.

"I didn't mean to Dad, I would have gone to Simon or Lanie if I knew something was wrong." Alexis tells her father.

"You couldn't have known I didn't know." River tells Alexis.

Alexis looks around and notices that both Inara and her father look like they haven't sleep all night "Dad, Inara you two are to go and have something to eat and have a couple of hours of sleep." She tells them realising that they must have stayed with her all of the time.

"I'm fine." Inara says.

"I'm staying." Mal tells his daughter.

"Dad, Inara I'm awake now, Gram, Kay, Rivi and Simon will be with me right?" She says looking hopefully at the four.

"Right." They say together.

"I'll be fine, go get some sleep, have some food." Alexis tells her Dad and Inara.

"Alexis I'm not sure." Mal says hesitantly not wanting to leave his daughter.

"Dad you need sleep, you need food, you two Inara." Alexis tells them "Simon will come and get you if something changes right" Alexis says to Simon.

"Right." Simon tells them.

"Come get me if the smallest thing changes." Mal tells Simon realising he's not going to win against his daughter.

"Me to." Inara says.

Mal bends down gives his daughter a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and whispers something in her ear before walking out of the infirmary waiting in the common area for Inara.

"You scared me Baby Girl, I'm so glad you ok, and I love you." Inara tell Alexis.

"Love you to Inara, now get out of here." Alexis tells her as for the past two and a bit weeks apart from the times she was talking to her Dad and Grams she has spent most her time with Inara, if not Inara then it was Kaylee, River and sometimes Simon. She has also spent some time talking and getting to know everyone else, so she can only assume that they worried a bit as well.

Inara smiles and walks out to the common area where Mal is waiting.

"Nara.." Mal begins to say but is cut off by Kate coming down the stairs.

"Hey how's Alexis?" Kate asks surprised to see both Rick and Inara outside Alexis's room.

"She's awake, kicked us both out ordered us to get some food and sleep." Mal tells Kate pulling her into a hug.

"Which I'm going to go do, excuse me." Inara tells Mal and Kate as she walks to her shuttle.

"That's great." Kate tells Mal.

"Yeah it really is." Mal says with a smile on his face. "I'm going to go get a couple of hours of rack time, Mother, Simon, River and Kaylee are in there at the moment but I'm sure she will want to see you." Mal tells Kate as he gives her a kiss then heads upstairs. When he reaches the kitchen he notices that everyone who isn't downstairs is there.

"Captain." Zoe says surprised.

"Alexis woke up, ordered me and Inara to go get some sleep and food." Mal explains.

"She ordered you?" Wash asks amused.

"You try saying no to her it impossible." Mal tells his pilot. "Night All." Mal tells them.

"It's morning Sir." Zoe says as he leaves.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Once her Dad and Inara leave Alexis addresses Simon "Simon tell me the truth how bad?"

"Alexis.." Simon says sighing not sure what to say.

"Don't Alexis me Simon, tell me." She tells him.

Simon walks over from where he is, which is behind her cheeking her vitals so he is standing with River next to her and he starts to explain knowing that he's not going to get away with not "It was bad, a huge part of the reason your still alive is that the infirmary is so close and there were two doctors and a nurse right near you. At one point your heart went erratic and I had to do a dangerous procedure to stabilise it, that's why you have to stay in her for a few more hours." Simon explains.

"Poor Dad." Alexis says realising how hard it must have been for him "How bad was he Gram?" Alexis asks.

"He didn't want to leave you, the boys had to force him out of the infirmary on Simons say so." Martha tells her granddaughter.

"Who got Monkey Bunky? And my pillow?" Alexis asks noticing the two items.

"Inara, she thought you would want them when you woke up." Kate tells her walking in.

"Hey Kate." Alexis says with a smile.

"Hey Alexis, I thought I would come see you." Kate says standing at the end of the bed with Martha "How you feeling?"

"A little tied, a little bit of soreness." Alexis tells Kate.

"How bad is the pain on a scale of 1 to 10?" Simon asks worried walking back over.

"About a 3, it's not too bad." Alexis tells Simon.

"I'm going to give you some medication, your most likely going to fall asleep again." Simon tells Alexis.

"But I just woke up." Alexis objects.

"Alexis I have to insist that you let me give you this medication you have to get as much rest as possible, so even when you're in Inara's shuttle you have to be on bed rest for another 3 days, after that you will be able to slowly move around again then 2 days after that you should be alright to go back to your room." Simon explains to Alexis.

"Inara's shuttle?" Kate asks confused.

"I won't be able to get down the hatch to my room and Simon may have trouble getting me out in an emergency so Inara offered to let me stay with her in her shuttle." Alexis explains.

"Oh."

"Fine, I'll take the medication on the condition that you let Dad and Inara sleep, no one wake them up." Alexis tells Simon.

"Done, they have been awake all night they need sleep." Simon tells Alexis.

"We'll let you sleep then." Kaylee says referring to her and River.

"Bye guys." Alexis tells them as they both give her a hug and then leave the infirmary.

"I'll go to I have a Shepard to bet in checkers." Martha says giving her granddaughter a hug before leaving.

"I'll go to Alexis, let you get your sleep." Kate tells Alexis giving her hand a squeeze as she goes.

"Bye Kate." Alexis says to her. "Looks like you're putting me to sleep Simon." Alexis tells him.

"I've been told I have that effect on people." Simon tells her.

"Told by Dad or Jayne?" Alexis asks smiling a little.

"Both." Simon answers as he gives her the injection.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

After a few of hours Alexis wakes up again, feeling a lot less groggy than she did last time though she does have a little bit of pain. When she does she notices a figure standing at her door.

"Zoe, I'm awake you can come in." Alexis says.

"Oh, Sorry I didn't wake you up did I?" Zoe asks walking in.

"No I woke up by myself." Alexis tells her.

"Are you ok, do you need me to get Simon?" Zoe asks worried.

"I'm Shinny Zoe." Alexis tells her.

"You really have been spending a lot of time with Kaylee." Zoe tells her talking a seat next to her.

"You know when I was little Dad told me about you." Alexis says to Zoe as it was something she remembered a couple of days ago but hadn't had the chance to talk to Zoe about.

"Really?" Zoe says surprised. "I didn't think he talked about his life here." Zoe says interested.

"He didn't and I don't think he really meant to, I was 3 or 4 and he was writing, which means he really wasn't paying too much attention to what he was saying I was saying how my friend has such a big family and how I only have him and Grams."

Zoe wonders why she didn't mention her mother then realises that neither Alexis or Mal have mentioned anything about Alexis's mother, she makes a note to ask Martha about it feeling she is the safest option of persons to asks

"And he must have been so caught up because he said, that's not true you have Aunt Zoe, and .., then he cut himself off I think he realised what he was saying. Then me being the interested 3 year old I was got curious and asked who Aunt Zoe was and why I had never meet her, his answer makes a lot more sense now than it did back then." Alexis tells her.

"What did he say?" Zoe asks interested.

"That Aunt Zoe works far away on a ship that is soo far away that calls don't go that far." A voice from the door says.

"Dad"

"Captain."

"I didn't think you remember that." Mal says to his daughter.

"I never bought it up again, but I remembered." Alexis tells her father as he walks over and gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Aunt Zoe?" Zoe asks Mal.

"Aunt Zoe" Mal tells Zoe simply.

"I've got to go make sure my husband is doing the physiotherapy the doc told him do to." Zoe says standing up, before she goes she bends down and whispers "You can call me Aunt Zoe if you want" to Alexis.

"How's he doing?" Mal asks.

"He's getting better." Zoe tells Mal before leaving.

"How you doing?" Mal asks his daughter.

"Good." Alexis tells her father.

"Alexis.." Mal says sighing knowing that his daughter may not tell the truth out of worry for him.

"Ok fine, I'm doing as good as I can." Alexis tells her father. "Can you pass me Simon's encyclopaedia?' Alexis asks her father.

"What you want that for?" Mal asks as walks over to the side where Inara left it and gets it.

"Something to read." Alexis tells her father.

"You're meant to be resting" Mal reminds his daughter.

"Reading is resting." Alexis tells him.

"Only you Pumpkin." Mal says handing her Simon's encyclopaedia. "You going to be alight by yourself for a little while? I want to go talk to Inara" Mal asks his daughter.

"I'll be fine but Dad she's most likely still asleep." Alexis tells her father.

Mal gets a look on his face that worries Alexis, one that clearly says that isn't going to stop him.

"Be right back." Mal tells his daughter.

"DAD DON'T WAKE HER UP." Alexis yells after her father.

"Don't wake who up?" Shepard Book and Martha ask walking in.

"Inara." Alexis answers.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Mal enters Inara's shuttle and sees that Inara is still indeed asleep, deciding to be nice he doesn't wake her up he just sits down on her couch and watches her sleep.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle**

"Don't hear no yelling." Kaylee says as she, River and Simon arrived in the infirmary not to long after Martha and Shepard Book and Alexis filled them in about what is going on.

"Maybe she killed him." Simon jokingly suggest.

"He's letting her sleep, just watching her." River informs the others.

"That's kind of sweet." Kaylee says smiling.

"It's also kind of creepy, trust me I have woken to my Dad just sitting there watching me sleep." Alexis tells her.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

About half hour after Mal arrived in her shuttle Inara slowly begins to stir, she gets the shock of her life when she sees Mal sitting there watching her.

"Wou Duh Tian Ah, What the hell Mal, what are you doing here?" Inara asks quickly siting up.

"Good Morning Sunshine, Alexis told me I couldn't wake you up she said nothing about watching you sleep." Mal tells Inara.

"Is she ok?" Inara asks temporally forgetting that he was watching her sleep.

"Yeah she's doing good." Mal tells Inara.

"Good." Inara says "THEN GET OUT." Inara says standing up.

"But I wanted to talk." Mal objects.

"What about?" Inara asks holding off on her kicking him out until he explains.

"I wanted to say thank you for sitting with Alexis last night letting her stay here" Mal tells her.

"No need to thank me Mal." Inara says giving him a smile forgetting that minute ago she was angry at him "Go tell Alexis I'll be there In a few minutes."

"Ok." Mal says before leaving and making his way to the infirmary, he walks back in and sees Kaylee, Alexis and River talking and laughing.

"She didn't kill him." Kaylee whispers to the other two and all three laugh.

"I heard that little Kaylee." Mal says not looking amused "She said she'll be here in a few minute to see you." Mal tells his daughter.

A few minutes later just like Mal said Inara walks in.

"Hey Inara." Alexis, River and Kaylee say.

"Hi girls." She says giving each of them a hug.

"Thank you Inara, Kate told me you got Monkey Bunkey and my pillow for me." Alexis tells Inara.

"You're welcome, is there anything else you want for your room?" Inara asks.

"No I'm good, Kay got me a pair of PJ's." Alexis tells Inara.

"Can I go to Inara's shuttle now Simon?" Alexis asks.

"In a few minutes there is just a few things I want to remind you about, and Inara there's a couple of things you're going to have to do and be on the lookout for, Do you mind if I explain to Inara first?" Simon asks Alexis..

"Not at all."

Simon walks out into the common area, Inara and Mal right behind him. "Ok she is still in pain she may not admit it but you should give her one tablet every 4 hours for the next 36 hours, give her more if she asks but know more than 3 in a four hour period, come and get me if she asks for that many, she also has to have 2 of the antibiotic tablets every 2 hours. I'll come and cheek on her two or three times a day. If she is in severe pain or gets a temperature, or she begins to look pale or come and get me or Dr Parish right away, four the next two days the only time she can leave bed is to go to the bathroom which you're going to have to help her get two and from" Simon explains.

"You sure you're ok with having her in your shuttle Nara?" Mal asks.

"Of course Mal." Inara tells him making a mental note of what Simon has told her.

"Ok Alexis." Simon says walking in to talk to Alexis "You have to take antibiotic tablets every two hours, one pain tablet ever four hours but more if your pain is more but tell Inara if the pain gets too bad, also tell her if you start to feel sick, or get the chills or anything like that tell Inara right away, I'll come and check on you a couple of times a day, and remember bed rest." Simon tells her.

"Yes Sir." Alexis tells him.

"As sad as it is the only Sir on this ship is your Dad." Inara tells Alexis

"Hey, just standing here." Mal objects.

"So when can I go?" Alexis asks.

"Someone need to be carried someplace?" Jayne asks walking in.

"That would be me." Alexis tells Jayne.

"It seems like all I'm doing these days is carrying you." Jayne jokes.

"Yeah it's something I have to work on." Alexis tells Jayne "It's always more fun when I'm awake." She teasingly adds.

"You're lucky you just had a operation Little Alexis otherwise you would be paying for that comment." Jayne tells her.

"I know." Alexis says with an innocent smile.

"So where am I taking you?" Jayne asks.

"Inara's shuttle." Mal tells him.

Jayne carries Alexis to Inara's shuttle followed by Inara, Mal, Kaylee, River, Simon and Martha.

"Where am I putting her?" Jayne asks.

"Bed," Inara says the same time Alexis says "Couch."

"Ok y'all can't do that its confusing." Jayne says.

"Put her on the bed Jayne." Inara tells her.

"I won't put you out Inara." Alexis tells her.

"You're not, the couch is very comfortable." Inara tells her.

Jayne puts Alexis down in the middle of Inara's bed before saying "Remember you still owe me a game."

"I know when I'm better we'll play." Alexis tells him then he leaves.

"Remember any pain or anything else that doesn't feel right come and get me." Simon tells Alexis helping her so she is sitting up in bed.

"I will, thanks Simon." Alexis tells him, he nods and leaves, Martha smiles and her granddaughter before leaving as well, Kaylee and River climb into the bed and sit either side of her, Mal sits down on the couch showing no sign of him leaving anytime soon.

"You planning to tell me you're not leaving." Inara asks sitting down on the other end of the couch.

"Thought it was obvious." Mal responds.

"Maybe to you." Inara tells him.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis Is on her second day of bed rest, during that time Kaylee and River have barely left the three girls have been spending time together doing all different things, everyone else has been in to see how see is doing at least once. Mal is practically living in the same spot on Inara's couch and to the surprise of all they haven't gotten in a fight yet.

That morning Mal walks into Inara's shuttle to not just see Alexis's laying in Inara's bed but Kaylee and River as well, he looks around for Inara and sees her sitting on the cortext.

"Am I wrong or is there only meant to be one girl in your bed?" Mal asks Inara.

"They all fell asleep talking last night, I decided to let them sleep." Inara tells Mal.

"How about you go grab breakfast, I'll wait here," Mal says to Inara.

"How about I go grab breakfast for all of us and bring it back here." Inara suggests.

"That would work to." Mal tells her.

Inara smiles and heads of the kitchen where everyone else is sitting eating breakfast she grabs a tray and puts enough food for all 5 of them.

"That's a lot of food for you and Alexis." Wash notes.

"It's not just for me and Lexis, Kaylee, River and Mal are there two." Inara explains.

"It's early did they stay in you shuttle last night?" Simon asks curious, Kate becomes more interested at that curious to know just where her boyfriend was.

"Kaylee and River did, Mal just got there." Inara explains before grabbing the tray and heading back to her shuttle.

When she arrives back at her shuttle Inara puts the food down on the table.

"Now how do we wake them up?" Mal asks Inara.

"No need were up." Alexis's sleepy voice comes from the bed and Mal and Inara turn to see all three girls slightly awake.

Mal and Inara pick up the tray off food, walk over put it in the middle, as they sit of the end. The five continue to eat there breakfast together pleasantly talking until River picks up some of the food and throws it at Mal.

"River." Kaylee and Alexis say together trying not to laugh, Inara on the other hand has no such restraint and laughs.

"You needed a little colour." River tells Mal innocently.

"You think it's funny do you." Mal asks Inara.

"Quite ." Inara tells him and next thing she knows she gets food thrown at her, before anyone can say anything a full on food fight brakes out between the five, at one point Mal falls of the bed.

"Ouch." Mal says from the floor.

"You really should watch you self Mal." Inara says through laughter.

"You think that's funny do you." Mal says as he reaches up and pulls Inara down with him, as he does she lands on top of him.

"Um I better go get cleaned up." Mal says quickly once he realises how Inara landed.

"Good idea." Inara says getting off him.

"Be back soon." Mal says leaving the shuttle, he walks through the common area upstairs and through the dining room.

"Sir what happened?" Zoe asks seeing him covered in food.

"Your sister." He says looking at Simon "Thought it would be funny to start a food fight." Mal explains and Simon looks worried for a few second before Mal says "Turns out she's was right, I will remember the image of Inara with egg in her hair." He says walking to his bunk.

"Mal and Inara food fight, wish I could have seen that." Wash says.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Over the next few days Alexis continues to get better. She begins to move around a bit more, slowly at first before she begins to be able to move normally. At the start of the second week in their trip between Herra and Persephone she is back in her own room but still does spend a lot of time in Inara's shuttle with Kaylee and River, Inara enjoys having the company of the three. On the Monday of the second week 5 days before they are due to arrive back on Persephone Mal comes in to talk to Inara he starts speaking before he enters not aware that Alexis, Kaylee and River are there though he shouldn't be surprised.

"Inara we'll be on Persephone for 2 days if you want to get any whoring done." Mal tells her as he walks in.

"DAD." Alexis says shocked.

"Alexis, Kaylee, River didn't realise y'all were in here." Mal says surprised.

"Well if you would ask before entering for once you would know." Inara tells Mal angrily.

"What's the point of askin you would say no." Mal tells Inara.

"Which would be my right." Inara tells him.

Kaylee, River and Alexis continue to watch the bickering back and forth almost like a tennis match.

"Where's the popcorn when we need it." Kaylee says to Alexis and River though she says it quite loudly that both Inara and Mal hear and look at her with unamused expressions on their face.

"Kaylee, River didn't we say we would meet Simon for a game in the common area." Alexis says getting up quickly realising that they don't want to be in this shuttle any longer with how angry they are.

"Right." They both say realising what Alexis is doing, the three of them quickly get up (in Alexis's case as quick as she can) and leave Inara's shuttle. They head to the common area where they see Jim, Shepard Book and Martha playing cards.

"I thought you three were spending time with Inara?" Martha asks seeing them.

"We were." Alexis answers.

"What happened?" Jim asks curious.

"Captain came, there fighting." Kaylee explains.

"Ahh." Martha and Shepard Book say both understanding.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

The day before they are due to arrive back on Persephone Alexis goes to see Inara.

"Hey." Alexis says walking in.

"Hey Lexis."

"So when we break atom your gone right?" Alexis asks curious.

"Yeah, but don't worry I'll be back before we leave for Ariel, I only have a couple of clients." Inara tells her. "I'm sure you Kaylee and River will find many ways to get into trouble until I get back." Inara tells her.

"But you won't be here for me to sit with when Dad is gone." Alexis tells her walking over and sitting next to her.

"No I won't, but your Grandmother is so Kaylee, River, Simon and everyone else." Inara tells her.

"I don't want Grams to know how much I worry about Dad." Alexis tells her.

Inara is quite for a few minutes "How about when both me and you Dad are gone, You Kaylee and River sit with the Shepard, then you won't feel so alone and Martha doesn't discover how worried you are." Inara suggests.

"Ok." Alexis says and sits with Inara for a little while.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

30 minutes before they are due to break atmo on Persephone Inara goes and finds Shepard Book as she thinks that Alexis might not go and find him no matter how worried he gets.

"Ah Inara what can I do for you." Shepard asks when he sees her standing at his door.

"Alexis gets worried when her Dad is away on Jobs, she usually sits with me but I'm not going to be here this time, she doesn't want her grandmother to know how worried she is so I was wondering could you check up on her for me when both Mal and I are gone?" Inara asks.

"Of course."

Inara says goodbye to the Shepard before heading back to her shuttle, along the way she runs into Kaylee, Alexis and River she pulls all three girls into a hug and says "Try and behave."

"You know us Inara, we always stay out of trouble." Alexis tells her.

"Do the words prank war or food fight, remind you of anything." Inara asks.

"That was the boys fault to." Kaylee objects. "And River was the one who started the food fight."

"Which is why I am telling all three of you too be good." Inara tells them.

"Inara we'll be braking atmo in 5 minutes." Wash says over the intercom.

"I got to go." Inara says giving Alexis one more hug "Love you, remember what I said." Inara tells her.

"I will, love you two, bye Inara." Alexis tells her.

"Love you girls, be Good." Inara says to all three before she enters her shuttle.

Kaylee, River and Alexis look at each other, smile and say "Yes Mom."

Inara stops for a second not sure if she heard correctly but looking back at their smiles she's sure she did and she doesn't know how that makes her feel.

"Let's go to the engine room, we can talk without interruptions." Kaylee says and the three head to the engine room.

"We will be landing in 2 minutes." Wash says over the intercom.

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

**AN; This is a short kind of filter chapter, the next chapter should be longer .**

Kaylee, Alexis and River have been sitting in the engine room since Inara left which is where Mal finds them 20 minutes later.

"There you three are." Mal tells them looking in and seeing the three sitting in the corner.

"Here we are." Kaylee says as Mal walks over to them.

"Alexis, I have a contact of mine who can hack into the Alliance data base and add your details, so if something happens you will be in the data base you'll also get an indent card." Mal tells his daughter.

"What about everyone else?' Alexis asks curious.

"My guy can only do one at a time and the attempts have to be a little apart so at the moment it's just yours. " Mal explains feeling like Alexis is the person who needs to be added to the data base first.

"What do you need?" Alexis asks.

"I just need to take a picture of you with a special camera, and I want to explain a few things to you, your name will be Alexis Inara Reynolds your still ok with that right?" he asks, Alexis nods then he continues "Your birthdate will be the same but it will change to the year 2501." Mal begins to explain but is then cut off by Alexis.

"You've had history with the Alliance and the war, how are you going to explain me not being with you in the past?" Alexis asks.

"That's simple you were living with Mother, she lived such a secluded life that it's not surprising that you weren't seen and the story is going to be I didn't just get mother off Whitefull but you two." Mal explains.

"What about who my mother is? You can't exactly put a name down." Alexis asks.

"Your birthplace is going to be Shadow, where your mothers' name is meant to go it won't say anything it was quite common during the time your meant to be born on planets like Shadow to leave one parents name blank in part to annoy the alliance in part for security reasons." Mal explains.

"It won't look odd will it?" Alexis asks not wanting it to be obvious that it was hacked and forged.

"Not at all." Mal tells his daughter.

"When do you need the photo taken?" Alexis asks.

"Now." Mal tells her as it needs to be done as soon as possible.

"Sure." Alexis says standing up and following her Dad out of the engine room only stopping to tell something to Kaylee and River "Be back soon."

The father and daughter walk to the cargo bay where they see everyone else standing in front of a blank wall.

"This is the place that looks most like the wall they use to take Ident photos." Zoe says to Mal and Alexis as they walk up.

Alexis stands in front of the wall and gets her picture taken.

"Ok, Zoe, Kate boys your with me we're goin to see Badger see when he wants to swap the goods, I'll see my guy on the way back, get you into the system Alexis, then we'll preform the swap." Mal tells everyone who is in the cargo bay.

"Be careful." Alexis says hugging her dad.

"I will." Mal tells her. "Remember go see Simon or Lanie if you don't feel right." Mal tells his daughter.

"I will." Alexis tells her father. "Bye Love you Dad." She says heading back to the engine room.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara lands her shuttle at the bay where she is meant to park for her client. Usually she enjoys her work but isn't so much anymore she would rather be on Serenity with Alexis, Kaylee and River this stop, if it wasn't for the fact that she is under probation from the guild, after the whole Miranda issue and what happened at the tanning house she would be. They are not too happy with her; she was called to a meeting a few days after Mal left. Zoe is the only person who knows she is on probation, though she assumes that River also knows, she hasn't told anyone else those who were there when the meeting occurred just think that she had a talking to, part of her probation is to see continue to see clients and the house will monitor how many she does see and she knows the number is on the low side recently so that is why she is here seeing clients instead of back on Serenity with her three girls.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castel Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Mal, Zoe, Kate, and they boys are making their way to Badgers. Kate, Ryan and Esposito are looking around as they do, when they arrive at Badgers he lets them in.

"You work fast." Badger tells him.

"Where do you want to make the swap?" Mal asks.

"Not going to introduce me to you new crew." Badger asks looking at Kate, Ryan and Esposito

"That's Kate, Ryan and Esposito." Mal tells him. "Now the swap?"

"Tonight north side of the docks 2100 hours." Badger tells him "The crates for the coin."

Mal nods, and they all leave.

"Y'all head back to the boat, I got something I need to do." Mal tells them and they all nod and head back to Serenity.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis, Kaylee and River are once again in the engine room talking when Simon comes to find them.

"Kaylee, I was wondering do you want to go planet side with me." Simon asks her clearly nervous.

"She's meet you down in the cargo hold in 5 minutes." Alexis answers before Kaylee can.

"See you there." Simon says happily.

"Lexis!" Kaylee says when Simon is out of seeing and hearing range.

"You want to go Kay, I know you do, Rivi and I can look after ourselves for a little while can't we?" Alexis asks River.

"You want to go, you should Lexis and I will be fine." River tells Kaylee.

"Ok then, bye." Kaylee says running out the engine room.

"Looks like it's just me and you." Alexis says to River. "What do you want to do?" she asks.

"Games in the cargo bay?" River suggests.

"Sounds fun." Alexis says getting up.

"Race you there." River says running off.

"Not fair, I can't run as fast as you." Alexis says getting up and following her.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While Kate, Zoe, Ryan, Jayne and Esposito head back to serenity Mal goes to meet his contact who can hack into the Alliance computers to add Alexis to the data bases.

"Malcolm." His contact says.

"Can you do it?" Mal asks.

"Of course do you have the details?"

"Of course." Mal says handing over a piece of paper.

The man works on his computer for a little while.

"Done, here's the indent card." The man says handing over the card.

"Thank you." Mal says.

"Why are you thanking me this never happened." The man says before burning the piece of paper and disappearing.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

River and Alexis are In the cargo bay they are playing a game where one of them stands on the platform and throws the ball down why the other tries to dodge it. After a little while Lanie, Wash and Jenny come and join them while Martha, Jim and Shepard Book watch, when the person on the platform hits you stand to the side until everyone else have gotten out then the last person left goes on the platform, currently Alexis is on the platform, Jenny is out and Lanie, Wash and River are still in.

"You look like you're having fun." Zoe says walking in.

"We are why don't you join us." Alexis suggest walking down from the platform.

"What's the point of this game?" Kate asks.

"Dodge the ball." River explains.

"Where's Kaylee and Simon?" Ryan asks as for the last month Kaylee, Alexis and River have almost always been together.

"They went planet side for a date." Alexis explains.

"So y'all in?" Wash asks.

"Why not." Zoe answers shrugging.

"I'll get back up there." Alexis says running back up to the platform.

They continue to play for a while then when Mal comes back he gets hit just as he walks back in.

"You're out Dad." Alexis tells him.

"I just got here how can I be out?" Mal asks confused.

"You got hit, you now out." River explains to him.

"No way, I get one more chance." Mal objects.

"Because you just walked in then fine." Alexis says going back up on the platform.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

They continue to play their game, Kaylee and Simon joining when they arrive back only stoping for breaks. When 8 come around Zoe, Kate, Mal, Ryan, Jayne and Esposito get ready to do their job.

"Be careful dad." Alexis tells her father.

"I will." Mal tells his daughter as they are about to leave.

"Common area." Kaylee says to Alexis.

"Common area." Alexis confirms. Kaylee, Alexis and River go and sit in the common area they are joined by Shepard Book who remembers Inara's words.

The three girls and the Shepard sit in the common area waiting for Zoe, Mal, Kate and the boys to come back from the job.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

For once the job goes smoothly they are able to swap the mechidise for the coin without a single issue.

"Up for more coin?' Badger asks.

"Can't got to get to Ariel, have some business to do." Mal tells him.

"Well this is you lucky day, I have someone who wants to get something of that very plant of course that is a difficult thing." Badger tells him.

"I'm listernin." Mal tells him.

"Thomas Hwuang, I'll send him word that your comin he contact you." Badger tells Mal.

Mal nods and they turn and head back to Serenity.

When they arrive back at Serenity they are greeted by Alexis, Kaylee and River. Mal gives his daughter a hug and kiss on the cheek and gives Kaylee and River a hug also.

"Wash when is Inara meant to be back?" Mal asks as Wash enters the cargo bay.

"Mid-day tomorrow." Wash answers.

"Well then until then, y'all do what you wish." Mal tells them.

"How long does it take to get to Ariel?" Ryan asks

"3-4 days." Mal tells him "Now go do what you want." Mal tells them.

"Jayne, Ryan, Esposito, Wash, want to play a game of spaceball against us seeing as you couldn't beat us in a prank war?" Kaylee asks.

"No prank wars." Mal yells back as he walks away with Kate not wanting to deal with the fall out of that again.

"We won't." Alexis yells back to her dad.

"I'm referring make sure none of you cheat." Zoe says.

Shepard Book, Martha, Jim, Lanie and Jenny go and stand on the platform to watch the game between them.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While everyone else is in the cargo bay Mal and Kate are upstairs having a nice dinner then spend some time together just the two of them

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Everyone spends the next morning just relaxing doing things that they usually don't have time for. Simon, Alexis, Kaylee and River spend most of it boosting to the boys that they won though that was more due to the fact that they work amazingly together and each of the boys were more concerned with being the star.

Ryan and Jenny and Wash and Zoe spend time in their respective bunks just being together. Kate and Mal spend some time walking around Persephone, Mal showing Kate a little bit about what his world is like.

Esposito, Lanie, Martha, Jim and Shepard Book spend time talking and playing poker in the dining area, Shepard Book and Martha teaching the others how to play there version.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castel Firefly/Castle **

Once she finishes with her clients Inara fly's her shuttle back to Serenity and re docks.

"Inara welcome back." Wash tells her.

"Thanks, no trouble was there?" She asks curious.

"Surprisingly no." Wash tells her.

"Everyone is on Captain." Wash says over the intercom to Mal.

"Then let's go." Mal tells him

And at that Serenity fly's off into the sky on its way deep into the core.

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

**IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTOM PLEASE READ AFTER CHAPTER **

The first night of the trip between Persephone and Ariel Zoe gets her chance to talk to Martha. She enters the kitchen to see Martha drinking a glass of.. well what she's not sure.

"Hi Mrs R." Zoe says walking over and sitting down.

"Zoe dear how many times have I told you to call me Martha." Martha says to Zoe.

"About as many as I have told you I can't do that." Zoe tells her.

Martha laughs at that and the two sit in silence before Zoe begins to asks what she wants to know.

"Mrs R can I ask you something." Zoe asks.

"Of course dear." Martha tells her.

"What's the story about Alexis's mother, Alexis and I we were talking when she was in the infirmary and she said growing up you and the Captain were here only family and then I realised that neither her or Mal ever mentioned her mother, I didn't want to ask them because I didn't want to make things worse but what's the story?" Zoe asks curious.

"That is a long story, one I am glad you decided to ask me not either of them about." Martha tells Zoe.

"Why what happened?" Zoe asks not sure what to think.

"I have to start from when Malcolm and I arrived in the part to explain a few things." Martha tells Zoe who nods in understanding.

"When we first got to the past Malcolm became 17 again and he wasn't too happy about it, though that wasn't surprising he wasn't too happy about anything. The only times I saw him with a smile on his face was when he was either looking at pictures of all of you or at the moving postcard of Inara, something he looked at all the time, he started to write, and he went to Collage." Martha tells Zoe.

"The captain went to college." Zoe says shocked.

"Yes his grades were very good. When he went to collage he met a girl called Kyra and for the first time since we got to the past I saw him happy." Martha explains.

"What happened?" Zoe asks realising that that isn't the end of the story.

"After she finished collage she said she needed some time, and she went to England and never came back and in a second he was back to being miserable, closed off to everyone he was almost as bad as he was when you two came to see me after the war." Martha tells Zoe using an example she would understand so she could understand just how he was back then.

"He must have been pretty bad." Zoe realises.

"He was, once again the pictures and postcards came out along with the Alcohol, and I tell you now I was worried, I didn't know if he was going to come back from how bad he was, Then he came to one of my shows and afterwards he meet Meredith and he was less miserable he wasn't completely happy but it was an improvement, they had been dating for four months when she found out she was pregnant and Malcolm being the gentleman he was proposed." Martha explains.

"That sounds like somethin he would do." Zoe says with a smile.

"The day Alexis was born I saw him happier more together than I had seen him in so long. His life became all about Alexis being the best father he could possibly be. Meredith on the other hand didn't have too much interest in being a mother, even before they were divorced. She always cared more about doing what she wanted than Alexis. When Alexis was two Meredith left for California with her agent she sent Malcolm the divorce paper in the mail and didn't even say goodbye to Alexis." Martha explains anger clear in her voice.

"That Yao Nu." Zoe says.

Martha smiles at that "I've called her that more than a few times. Meredith would call maybe once a month and send a present on Christmas and Alexis's birthday but it wouldn't be something inappropriate for her age. As Alexis became older she would visit occasionally but it has been 3 years since Alexis has seen her mother. "Martha tells Zoe who is shocked as if she had a child she couldn't imagine going years without seeing it.

"After that I could tell that Malcolm was once again angry and hurting so much but it was Alexis who stopped him from completely falling apart. Even though he was doing and amazing job as a single father Malcolm thought that Alexis needed a mother and that's where Gina comes in."

"His second ex-wife correct?" Zoe cheeks making sure she is right.

"Yes, by this time I think he truly believed that he would never come back here never see you again, the amount of times I saw him looking longingly at the postcard of Inara." Martha says with a smile.

Zoe also smiles at that.

"Gina had clearly had a thing for Malcolm from when she became his publisher so they started dating and they got married once again I could tell that he wasn't truly happy, even though he wanted a mother for Alexis he didn't let her near her, he didn't want to let her into their special relationship, so they got divorced. As Alexis began to get older and not need Malcolm as much anymore I saw him begin to go down the dark path again, then 4 years ago he met Kate and the others and he was back the only time I had seen him that happy not counting his time with Alexis was those two months I spend on here, and the only other time I had seen Malcolm as comfortable as he was around Kate was when he was with Inara. Over the last four years he was happy he was living being a part of something once more, he was doing so much better, until last summer." Martha explains her voice becoming sadder at the end.

"What happened last summer?" Zoe asks worried.

"We were all at the funeral for the captain of the precinct Kate was giving the eulogy when Malcolm saw as sniper flash he tackled Kate but it was two late she had been shot, she was dying in his arms and he told her he loved her." Martha explains once again her voice sad.

"Oh poor captain." Zoe says sadly.

"That's not the saddest part, she got through the surgery ok and when she woke up she told him that she needed time she also told him that she didn't remember the shooting." Martha says and Zoe can detect anger in her voice.

"What do you mean she told him?" Zoe asks though she has an idea where this is leading.

"I'll get to that in a minute for three months Malcolm didn't hear from Kate and he became angry even Alexis noticed how different he was, then Kate came to see him and they began to work together again and I could tell he was opening himself up as much as he once did. A couple of months ago Malcolm discovered that she was lying that she did remember exactly what he said, and he was heartbroken he continued going to the precinct but he was cold, Kate didn't now why she didn't know he had found out." Martha explains.

Hearing that Kate lied about Mal telling her he loved her Zoe can't help but be angry at her.

"When she found out that he knew she confronted him and discovered that he had been keeping something a secrete as well but what he was keeping a secrete was to protect her even though it could have killed him, once they talked everything out they started to date and Malcolm truly loves her though he doesn't seem to be letting her in." Martha explains.

"I don't blame him for not letting her in, he doesn't want to be hurt once more." Zoe points out.

Zoe and Martha sit in silent for a few minutes before Zoe asks something else "How do you think Alexis feels about Kate after everything that has happen?" Zoe asks.

"She's angry at Kate I know that much, she likes Kate they got along really well before last summer Alexis even asked her for advice occasionally, but now I think she doesn't want to get close to her in case she leaves again that summer she didn't call or see Malcolm Alexis felt that Kate was abandoning her as well. " Martha explains sadly.

"Poor girl." Zoe says sadly "Do you think it's odd how close Alexis has gotten to Inara, considering how things went with Meredith, Gina and Kate, you see like the only woman that Alexis can count on in her life" Zoe asks curious.

"I do and thanks for saying that sometimes I do feel like that but Alexis needs someone closer to her age someone who can be a mother figure to her, Alexis must trust Inara because she hasn't let any other woman in her father's life including her own mother get close to her so she doesn't get hurt, and I think it's good for her. I just hope Inara doesn't leave, I don't know how Alexis would handle that." Martha says sadly to Zoe.

Zoe nod and makes a note to have a conversation with Inara at some point "Do you think he still loves her?" Zoe asks curious.

"I do." Martha answers not even having to ask who she is talking about "But he loves Kate two and I don't know who he loves more I don't even think he does, I just hope all three of them don't get hurt because of it."

"I think their already hurting." Zoe tells her as from what she has seen it does seem like it.

Martha and Zoe sit there in silent for a few more minutes before Zoe decides it time for bed "Night Mrs R." she says as she gets up.

"Zoe, don't give Kate a hard time I know you will want to for Malcolm sake but it may be better if you didn't." Martha tells her realizing that Zoe may.

"I can't promise anything Mrs R." Zoe says heading to bed.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

The following night Zoe decided to have a conversation with Inara, she decides on that because Alexis is the captains daughter which means she is hers to protect and she needs to make sure that Inara isn't going to leave like all the other female role models she has known in her life, plus she wants to see how Inara is doing with the whole Mal/Kate thing.

"Hey Inara can I come in?" Zoe asks.

"Sure, Alexis, Kaylee and River just left for the night." Inara says from her spot on the couch.

Zoe walks in and sits down on Inara's couch.

"What do you know about Alexis's Mother?" Zoe asks interested.

Inara looks confused but she answers "I know that she has never really be there for Lexis and that I talked to her more In a week about things that she cares about than her mum ever has why?"

"I was talking to Mrs R last night she was saying that Alexis has never had a woman role model in her life that hasn't left her." Zoe explains.

"What about Kate, she has been in Mal's life for 4 years." Inara asks.

"Alexis or the Captain haven told you what happened last summer?" Zoe asks surprised.

"No what happened?" Inara asks interested to know what happened.

"Mrs R said that last summer they were at a funeral and Kate got shot by a sniper and almost died in the Captains arms and that after that she didn't call or contact him for 3 months and that he went back to being very cold." Zoe explains feeling it may be best to leave the whole Mal saying he loved her thing out of it.

"So Alexis felt that Kate was abandoning her as well." Inara realises.

"Exactly."

"So you're here making sure I'm not going to leave as well, hurt Alexis even more." Inara realises.

"Yeah."

"Zoe you don't have worry I have no plans to leave Serenity or Alexis at any point." Inara tells her.

"Good I would have to hurt you if you did." Zoe jokes though they both know that she isn't completely joking.

The two are silent for a few minutes before Zoe speaks again "Speaking of hurt how are you?" she asks concerned.

"Speaking of hurt? I don't know what you're talking about." Inara tells Zoe.

"Being on probation, seeing the man you love with another woman, any of this ringin a bell?" Zoe asks.

"Being on probation is different I didn't really want to go see clients when we were on Persephone but I had to because I haven't been seeing a lot of clients lately I don't know if I love it as much as I used to." Inara explains.

"Have you told the captain that you are on probation?" Zoe asks curios.

"Yeah do you know how that conversation would go, Hey Mal you know that job you hate and disapprove of I'm on probation from it, not a conversation I want to have." Inara tells Zoe.

"You should tell him." Zoe tells Inara knowing even though Mal doesn't approve of Inara's job he may be able to help in some way.

"No."

Zoe sighs realising that there is no point debating any more "You didn't answer my other question how is it watchin the man you love being with someone else, and don't deny that you love him I know you do." Zoe tells Inara.

"It hurts and it feels like a knife is stabbing my heat every time I see them together but I want him to be happy, so if he's happy with Kate then I have to deal with it and I will, all I want is for him to be happy." Inara tells Zoe sadly.

"Even if you are heartbroken?" Zoe asks surprised.

"Even if." Inara answers.

"Well I have to go River is flying Serenity tonight so Wash has the night off" Zoe tells Inara.

"Go have fun with your husband." Inara says smiling.

"Remember what I said about telling the Captain about your probation." Zoe says before leaving.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

The next night Alexis is walking around Serenity late as she can't get to sleep. When she arrives in the common area she runs into Kate.

"Hey Alexis." Kate says to Alexis when she sees her walk in.

"Hey Kate." Alexis says walking over and sitting on the couch next to her, the two sit in silence for a while before Kate decides to talk.

"Have I did something to upset you Alexis? you once talked to me but lately you haven't" Kate asks wanting to know why Alexis has been pleasant to her but not really talked.

"It's nothing." Alexis tells her.

"Please Alexis talk to me." Kate asks wanting to know what she did.

"You didn't just abandon Dad last summer Kate, you abandoned me to. I was starting to trust you, I was ok with you being around dad and me I thought you cared then you disappeared just like all the rest." Alexis tells her angrily standing up. "You apologised to Dad but you never apologised to me."

Neither Kate or Alexis have noticed but Zoe is standing on the top of the stairs watching waiting to see if she should interfere between the two at some point.

"Oh Alexis, I'm sorry I didn't know I didn't realises." Kate tells Alexis not realising that when she disappeared last summer it had an effect on Alexis.

"No Kate you just didn't care. You needed time you didn't think of what me or Dad needed. From the time Dad started working with you became important, when I came to you for advice you should have realised that you were important to me, I watched you bleed out in my father's arms and then just disappear." Alexis says pacing the room angrily.

"Alexis I'm sorry, I was in a bad place and I didn't know how to deal with everything, please forgive me." Kate tells Alexis sadly.

"After Dad got kicked out of the precinct he locked himself in his offices for hours at a time, he was so angry and he wasn't dad anymore YOU did that to him, then he started working with you and he was better than he found out you lied to him and once again he was back to as bad as he was. So I don't know if can forgive you Kate" Alexis tells her standing in front of her "I know I can't trust you."

"But you can trust Inara." Kate says angrily.

"Yes I can trust Inara she has given me no reason not to." Alexis tells her.

"You know she's just being nice to you to get to you Dad." Kate says and as soon as the words leave her mouth she regrets it, she realises that it is said out of jealousy.

"Alexis I." Kate begins to say but is cut off by Zoe coming down the stairs and hugging Alexis who looks heart broken.

"That's not true it is?" Alexis whispers to Zoe.

"No Honey it's not go to her shuttle tell her I'll explain everything in a minute." Zoe tells Alexis.

Alexis nods and leaves and makes her way to Inara's shuttle, once she is sure that Alexis is out of hearing range Zoe turns to Kate.

"I can't believe you said that, you broke that girls heart. From what Mrs R has told me Inara is the first older woman who Alexis has let get close to her, you may have just filled that with doubt, something she needs. How could you do that Kate, I thought you loved the captain you should know better." Zoe says not raising her voice for a second but Kate can hear the absolute fury in it.

"I do care about Alexis I let my jealously blind me, I can't believe myself that I said that." Kate tells Zoe sadly.

"You have to get over that jealousy, Inara is the Captains best friend there is nothing that is going to change that, and she is important to Alexis you have to deal with that Kate. As for Alexis you may never get that trust back." Zoe tells her angrily. "Now if you excuse me I have a heart broken teenager to deal with." Zoe says walking off.

"Zoe, are you going to tell Rick?" Kate asks.

"Should I yes, am I no, but that is because he's happy with you and I don't want to ruin that make him go back to being how he was before but I can't guarantee that he won't find out. For now just stay away from Alexis, let her come to you if and when she is ready." Zoe says stoping on the stairs Turing to face her before heading to Inara's shuttle.

Kate stands there for a few minutes before heading to bed unable to believe what she did.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While Zoe is having a conversation with Kate Alexis walks into Inara's shuttle crying her eyes out.

"Lexis honey what happened?" Inara asks as the crying girl throws herself into her eyes.

Inara lets Alexis cry it out not knowing what to think worrying more and more every second working what is going on.

After a few minutes Zoe walks in.

"Zoe what's going on?" Inara asks worried.

"I don't know the whole story I'm assuming that Alexis couldn't sleep so she went for a walk she ran into Kate in the common area, I was standin on the stairs listenin Kate was questioning about why Alexis had been acting odd around her and Alexis explained everything, and then Kate asks why does she trust you, and Alexis said because you had never given her a reason not to, then Kate said that you only being nice to Alexis to get to the captain, that is when I interfered." Zoe explains.

Inara is shocked "Hey Alexis, listen to me I promise you I am not spending time with you to get to your Dad I love you because you're a great kid, your amazing and I love talking to you, spending time with you." Inara tells her.

"Really?" Alexis asks through her tears.

"Really." Inara answers with a smile.

"Now do you mind staying with Aunt Zoe for a minute I have a conversation to have with Kate. " Inara says getting up and leaving.

"INARA." Alexis yells after her worried about what she is going to do.

"Aunt Zoe?" Alexis says looking at her.

"It's something she has to do Alexis, Kate doubted Inara's intentions you have to let her deal with it in her own way." Zoe tells Alexis walking over sitting next to her on Inara's bed.

**Firefly/ Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara quickly makes her way to the passenger dorm area, she climbs the ladder to make her way up to Kate's bunk. She opens the door and walks in, Kate is sitting on her bed and doesn't look to surprise to see Inara.

"Don't speak just listen. How could you have done that Kate, I get that your jealous of my friendship with Mal but there is no reason to take that out on Alexis, she is no part of what is going on between You, Me and Mal. In the last month I have slowly gotten Alexis to talk to me to trust me and you could have destroyed that you almost destroyed that poor 17 year old girl made her doubt so much. Apart from her grandmother she has been abandoned by every female role model she has ever known, including yourself, you made her think that I'm just using her. Whatever you feel towards me tell me, be angry or rude to me, don't bring Alexis into it. I want to make something perfectly clear I am not spending time with Alexis to get to Mal I'm spending time with Alexis because I want to spend time with Alexis get to know her because I can sense that see needs that she needs someone she can count on, in the short time I have known her she has become like a daughter to me, and you hurt her Kate, and that that is over the line. I'm not going to tell Mal what happened tonight because he's happy with you and that's all I ever wanted was for him to be happy, so I'm not going to destroy that In any way. But listen carefully stay away from Alexis, let her talk to you when she feels she can, if I find out you did anything, said anything else to make that little girl upset you're going to regret it and you're going to wish I told Mal, that is a promise." Inara says angrily before walking out of Kate's room and back to her shuttle.

Kate sits on her bed still not being able to believe what she said to Alexis and feeling that Zoe and Inara are right, she went too far.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara makes her way back to her shuttle and find Zoe and Alexis still sitting on her bed. "Oh baby girl come here." Inara says opening her arms for a hug, Alexis was over and hugs Alexis "I love you ok; don't let anything anyone say make you doubt that, I will always be here for you." Inara tells her running her hand through her hair.

"I'm going to go." Zoe tells them.

"Thanks Aunt Zoe." Alexis tells her.

"No need Alexis." Zoe tells her.

"You threatened her didn't you?" Zoe asks Inara as she walks past and Inara just nods in reply.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Alexis ask.

"Of course." Inara tells her.

"I'm taking the couch." Alexis tells Inara not wanting to kick Inara out of her bed after everything else that has happened.

"Fine." Inara says sighing knowing that she isn't going to win, she walks over to her bed pick up and pillow and blanket and hands it to Alexis.

"Thanks." Alexis tells her.

Alexis makes her bed on the couch while Inara heads to bed in her bed.

"Night Inara."

"Night Lexis."

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**AN IMPORTANT : I would like to make one thing clear I LOVE Kate and I LOVE Caskett, I wrote this chapter soon after seeing 47 second that is what lead to a slight anti Kate in this chapter but I apologise for that, but it was necessary for where I want this story to go but I will fix the damage I done that is a promise I didn't just write it because I was feeling anit Kate I wouldn't do that it has a purpose for this story that will become clear in about chapter 16, I tried writing it another way but I couldn't and this chapter was very very hard for me to write, because like I said I LOVE Kate and Caskett. **


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

The next morning everyone heads to breakfast. Alexis, Inara, Zoe and Kate act normally though Alexis and Inara are sitting on one end of the table while Kate is at the other. No one notices that even though all three engage in conversation they don't talk directly to each other.

"We should be arriving in Ariel in about an hour." Wash tells everyone.

"I got something to tell y'all anyone who doesn't technically exist or is a wanted fugitive can't leave the ship." Mal tells everyone.

"Isn't that technically all of us?" Wash asks as they are all in less than good graces with the alliance.

"I mean Simon and River." Mal informs Wash.

"Lexis and I were talking about exploring Ariel at some point as we both have ident cards is it ok that we do?" Kaylee asks the captain curious and Alexis smiles remembering the conversation from a couple of days ok.

"No, you girls aren' to walk around alone." Mal tells the girls.

"Dad"

"Captain"

"No I'm sticking to that, you two aren to walk around alone." Mal tells the two girls as he knows that they could get in danger on a core planet especially with the Alliance less than happy with him.

"I just have to do the exchange and then I'll be back then how about the three of us go for a walk I'll show you some of the best places on Ariel, places you wouldn' be able to find on your own, would you be ok with it then?" Inara asks Mal hoping that he would say yes as she knows that Alexis needs some time away from the ship.

Mal takes a few minutes to think "If you three stick together and be careful then I guess it would be ok, but you have to be on the lookout." Mal tell them as he has to admit to himself that Inara can protect herself and them and she is basically the only member of the crew who is still in a good standing with the Alliance.

"Thank you Dad/Captain." Alexis and Kaylee say giving Mal and hug.

"Thank you Inara." They say once they have given Mal a hug as they go and give Inara one two.

"River can't come can she?" Alexis asks wanting to be sure.

"Sorry Lexis, I can't." River tells Alexis and Kaylee.

"We'll bring you back something cool." Kaylee tells River.

"So now that is figured out, Inara you can go and exchange the money then come back here, after that Zoe, Jayne the three of us will go and do the job that badger has set up." Mal explains. "Nara how long will the exchange take?" Mal asks curious.

"At the most an hour." Inara tells him.

"Ok, then you bring everything back here then Zoe you and Jayne come with me to talk to contact of badger." Mal tells everyone.

Everyone continues to enjoy there breakfast. As they get closer to Ariel Wash leaves to land Serenity. Once they land Mal turns to Inara.

"Inara come with me I 'll give you the money." Mal says as he gets up and Inara follows him.

Mal climbs down his hatch grabs the briefcase that he has kept hidden and goes back up the hatch and hands it to Inara.

"Exchange all of it, we need the coin." Mal tells her.

"If you're sure you know my opinion on the matter." Inara reminds him once again.

"You've made yourself perfectly clear." Mal tells her. "You sure you're not goin to get in trouble?" Mal asks once more to be sure.

"Positive Mal I told you that." Inara tells him and he hands over the briefcase.

Inara walks back to the kitchen to where Alexis, Kaylee and River are.

"I'll be back soon you girls be good." She says to them giving them all a hug.

"We will." They say together.

Inara smiles at them before starting to walk in the other direction to leave serenity.

"I'll walk you out." Mal tells Inara, which is what he does.

"I need to tell you guys something in my bunk." Alexis tells Kaylee and River.

As Alexis, Kaylee and River head back to Alexis's bunk Zoe walks down from the bridge.

"Alexis can I talk to you for a second?" Zoe asks.

"Sure I'll be there in a second." Alexis tells Kaylee and River who nod and head to Alexis's bunk.

"You doing ok after last night?" Zoe asks concerned.

"Yeah, I wanted to say once again thanks." Alexis tells her.

"No need to thank me Alexis." Zoe responds.

"Can I ask you something." Alexis asks and Zoe nods.

"Can you not tell Dad what happened. I may have issues with Kate but she makes my Dad happy and I don't want to be the one who destroyed that." Alexis tells Zoe.

"First let me make one think clear no matter what happens you can't destroy your Dad's happiness you make him happy. Second I was planning to talk to you about that, I told Kate last night that I wasn't going to tell you dad for the same reason but then I realised I should have talked to you first, are you ok with you Dad not knowing?" Zoe asks hoping she made the right decision.

"Yeah it's for the best." Alexis says then they are both silent for a few minutes before Alexis asks "Do you think Inara is going to tell him?"

"Unless you told her to tell him then I don't think she would she is always saying that all she wants is your Dad to be happy so no I don't think she is going to tell him unless it's what you want." Zoe tells her.

"I better go, Kay and Rivi have been waiting a while." Alexis tells Zoe.

"Your right, you going to tell them what happened?" Zoe asks curios.

"Yeah, there my friends." Alexis tells Zoe.

"Good choice." Zoe says smiling before heading to the dining area.

Alexis smiles before opening her hatch and heading down to her bunk where her two best friends are waiting.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara makes her way through Ariel to the building her associate works from. When she enters the office she sees a woman who looks to be in her mid-adulthood is tall and has light brown straight hair.

"Inara this is a pleasant surprises." The woman says walking over.

"Claudia it's been too long." Inara tells her giving her a hug.

"That's what happens when you ship out on a pirate ship." She tells Inara.

"It's not a pirate ship." Inara objects.

"The rumours and stories say differently." The woman tells Inara.

"You have spent too long in this verse to believe stories and rumours." Inara informs her.

"Yes, your right about that though story of you being a part of that message that was broadcasted through the verse isn't a story is it?" The woman asks.

Inara sighs realising that this isn't going to go as easy as she wants it to "You are correct that is true."

"Why were you apart from it from what I have heard it puts everything you have worked on in jeopardy." Claudia asks eagerly wanting to know.

"There are things more important than one's own success I believed that that getting that message one was one of them." Inara tells her.

"Brave of you, now what can I do for you?" She asks curious.

"About a year and a half back I was attended several events with a client over a week, this client had a thing for collecting earth that was artefacts some much in fact that he payed his fee in earth that was money." Inara explains to her.

"And you need someone to exchange it." Claudia realises.

"Yes, you are the only person I know who does."

"You do know that the exchange rate is low correct?" Claudia asks.

"Yes I am aware that is why he gave quite a lot." Inara answers.

"Would you like the credit to be added to your account?" The woman asks.

"No, were going to be heading back to the outer planets it's better for it in notes." Inara tells her.

"I can do that do you have the money?" The woman asks.

"Of course." Inara says handing over the briefcase.

The woman collects the brief case and opens it "You weren't wrong about him paying a lot" she says seeing all the notes.

"We'll you are aware of companions prices." Inara says to her.

The woman nods and start the exchange process she enters some data into the cortex and then puts the money into a tray next to it. "Would you like the money put back into the briefcase?" she asks.

"That would be appreciated." Inara tells her.

After about 5 minutes the exchange process is done and the time current money is put into the brief case and handed back to Inara.

"Thank you Claudia." Inara tells her.

"You're welcome Inara, please come see me again soon." Claudia tells her.

"I will." Inara says before turning and exiting the building and heading back to Serenity.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While Inara is exchanging the money Mal is talking to someone on the cortex about their next job.

"I understand wanting to meet in person, where can this meeting take place?" Mal asks the man.

"I have an office area just outside the centre of the city it is called the monocracy building, I understand that you have a big crew Captain, you are allowed one person with you but that is it." The man tells Mal.

"I understand what time?" Mal asks.

"2 pm." The man tells Mal.

"See you then." Mal says turning off the cortex.

"Zoe you will be coming with me the rest of you will stay here." Mal says turning to face everyone who is standing behind him.

"Of course Sir." Zoe says.

"How long has Inara been gone?" Mal asks curios trying to keep the worry out of his voice as he knows it may be dangerous for her to walk around with as much money as she is holding.

"It's only been 40 minutes Sir she said an hour, no need to panic plus Inara knows how look after herself." Zoe tells the captain.

"Right." Mal says nodding "Zoe we leave at 1:30." Mal says before leaving the bridge.

"So Rick what planet we heading to after this?" Kate asks interested.

"Don't know depends where the work takes us." Mal tells Kate, who nods as they head down to the cargo bay.

"What are you three up to?" Mal asks as he sees Kaylee, Alexis and River sitting on the platform above the cargo bay.

"Nothing we like sitting up here." Alexis yells back down.

"It's a nice view of everything." River adds.

"Plus its quite." Kaylee says.

"Ok then." Mal says confused.

"You don't understand the adult woman Mal I doubt you can understand the teenage." Inara says walking into the cargo bay.

"Ah Inara, you timing is perfect." Mal tells her smiling.

"Yes it is." Inara says smiling back at him and handing over the brief case. "Here"

"Did you exchange all of it?" Mal asks.

"I said I would didn't I." Inara tells him.

"Good I better go and put this away safely, don't go to I get back." Mal tells Inara as he quickly runs off.

Alexis, Kaylee and River all climb down from where they are.

"Is it cold out there do we need jackets?" Alexis asks Inara.

"No you'll be fine." Inara tells her.

"Finally I get to spend some time on a core planet without digging through a junk yard." Kaylee says happily.

"Junk yard?" Kate asks confused surprising the others as they had forgotten that she was there.

"Yes and Junk yard, we needed to collect some items for a job the last time we were on Ariel." Kaylee explains and Inara can tell that she knows what happened because she is being pleasant but not Kaylee pleasant.

Mal arrives back in the cargo bay unaware of the tension.

"So Zoe and I have to go meet a contact at 2 that's an hour away the latest we should be back is around 3, 3:30 how long are you going to be?" Mal asks Inara.

"We'll make sure we're not back any later than 3:30." Inara tells Mal.

"Ok I want the three of you to be careful we are on a core plant meaning that it is Alliance heavy and there not too happy with us, so keep your eyes open and if you feel like something isn't right get back to Serenity clear?" Mal ask his daughter the person he considers his little sister and his best friend.

"We will." They say together.

"Bye." River says giving them a hug to before heading back to her room.

Mal gives Alexis and Kaylee a hug before leaving.

"Rick why are you so worried I thought that Inara was a woman of standing with the Alliance?" Kate asks confused.

"She is but they do know that she was on my boat for a while, that she was there when we realised the information so they do know she has a connection to me and River." Mal explains.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Inara, Kaylee and Alexis walk around Ariel as they do Inara shows them the park and other nice places that she thinks they will enjoy. Alexis and Kaylee are both so surprised about all they see, Alexis because she isn't used to such advance technology and Kaylee because she has never been on a core planet before. After they spend a bit of time exploring Inara takes them to a restaurant she found one day when she was enjoying Ariel when she was a kid on a family holiday before she went to the house.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While Alexis, Kaylee and Inara are enjoying spending time exploring Zoe and Mal are on their way to the meeting.

"Sir what do we know about this person?" Zoe asks as they walk.

"That he has a job for us and that he has worked with badger in the past." Mal explains simply.

"So nothing that says we can trust him." Zoe realises.

"We can't trust most the people we work with Zoe, you know that." Mal tells his second in command.

"I would like to know who was on each side of that." Zoe tells Mal.

"So would I." Mal says as then enter the building that was described to them.

"Malcolm Reynolds." The man who was talking to Mal on the cortex says.

"Thomas." Mal says simply to the man.

"You only brought one person good." Thomas tells the man.

"Zoe my second in command." Mal tells him.

"Nice to meet you." Thomas says pleasantly to Zoe.

"So what would you like us to do?" Mal asks the man.

"It's simple we need someone to take a box to Dyton." Thomas tells Mal.

"How do we get it to my ship, you can't walk around Ariel with a big box." Mal reminds the man.

"I'll have it in your ship by nightfall. " Thomas tells Mal.

"Good doing business with you." Mal tells him.

"Badger has told me that you are reliable I choose to believe that though if It turns out not to be true you and I will have a problem." Thomas threatens.

"We won't have a problem." Mal tells Thomas.

"Good to know nice seeing you Captain Renoylds." Thomas tells Zoe and Mal and they leave.

"Sir, Dyton is over month away." Zoe reminds the captain.

"I know," Mal tells Zoe then says "Goram."

"What's wrong sir?" Zoe asks concerned.

"It's Alexis's birthday in 3 weeks, we won't be on Dyton by then." Mal explains.

"Plan something for her on the ship, talk to Inara, Kaylee and River they should be able to help you." Zoe says to the captain.

"Your right I'll do that." Mal tells Zoe.

The two walk back to Serenity and they arrive back into the cargo bay where they see Jayne, Esposito, Ryan and Shepard Book working out as they often do.

"Inara, Alexis and Kaylee back yet?" Mal asks them as they walk in.

"Not yet bro." Esposito tells them.

"What's the time?" Mal asks curios so he knows whether or not to begin panicking.

"Just after 3." Martha says as she walks into the cargo bay with Kate, Simon, Lanie and Jenny.

Mal relaxes a little realising that he has no reason to worry there not meant to be back for another half and hour.

"Mal there's a wave coming in that you and everyone else is going to want to see." Wash's voice says over the intercom.

Mal looks at everyone and runs up to the bridge closely followed by everyone else. When they get up there they see a man who is clearly Alliance just by what he is wearing on the screen.

"Malcolm Reynolds." The man says.

"That's me."

"You're a hard man to find." The Alliance man says to him.

"I like it that way." Mal tells him.

"Unlucky for you I am also a hard man to find." He says and Mal begins to realises that he isn't liking where this conversation is going to go "You wouldn't hand over River Tam now I have someone more important." The Man says and Mal begins to panic realising where this is going and who he must be refereeing two.

"You see I worked for the Operative who came after you but let you go, and you can imagine my shock when walking down the street in Arial I saw the person who said would be you weakness walking with two other girls. The plan was just to grab her but then the other two tried to fight my men, so I grabbed all three and that turned out to be the best outcome, how surprised was I when not only did I grab the person who is meant to be your weakness but I also grabbed you daughter and a member of your crew, grate day for me." The man says smiling.

"You son of a bitch." Mal says to the man realising that his fear has been confirmed he has Alexis, Kaylee and Inara.

"Now no need to resort to language this can be worked out without any harm, or anymore than has already happened." He corrects himself

Mal worries about that worrying how hurt the three are. "I'm listening."

"It simple you hand over River Tam and you get all three back, bargain if you ask me."

"How do I know they are even alive." Mal asks as his years of working with the police are telling him that proof of life is the best thing to ask in this situation before any deals can be worked out.

"Bring her in." The man says to someone off of camera.

Everyone sees Alexis being dragged in she looks ok apart form a little cut on the side of her face "Alexis." Mal says worried.

"Dad relax I'm ok we all are the three of us always survive even if were in the centre of a dark storm." Alexis says to the confusion of everyone.

"Take her away." The man says

"You've seen for yourself, River Tam for you daughter, and two others, you have an hour to decide though it shouldn't really take you that long to make up your mind." The man says Mal before the cortex turns off.

Everyone stands in shocked silence in the bridge "Malcolm." Martha says walking over and standing next to her son worried about her granddaughter.

"I know where they are." Rivers voice says.

Everyone turns to her surprised allowing themselves to hope that everything is going to turn out ok.

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	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

"How do you know?" Mal asks River.

"A couple of days ok Alexis was telling Kaylee and I a case you worked on where the kidnaped kid told you where his was by something he slipped in during the kidnaps video, we said that the kid was smart and that everyone should have a system like that, then we made one up not thinking that we would ever need it." River explains.

Everyone in surprised at the kind of conversations the three have but are very glad that they do.

"That sentence she said that made no sense 'the three of us always survive even if were in the centre of a dark storm' That was a code?" Shepard Book asks.

"Yes, it means that there all ok, but are hurt a little but will survive, and that there being held in a building that starts with the letter S, that in the centre of town in its basement." River explains.

"The Special services building it's in the middle of the city." Simon realises.

"And it has a basement." Shepard Book adds.

"Yes, using Lexis' clues I'm going to go in get them and bring them out." River tells everyone in a determine voice which is like she is saying nothing is going to stop me.

"River.." Simon says surprising not sure what to say.

"There my friends Simon, I'm not going to leave them in there getting hurt because of me." River says.

"It's not your fault River your as innocent as them in this, but you're not going in alone I'm going with you that's my daughter, my best friend and my little sister in there I'm not going to leave them either." Mal says and no one is surprised by that.

"If you're going then I am to Sir." Zoe says and everyone else nods in agreement.

"We need to be smart about this have a plan, Alexis's clues and your abilities River should help a lot but we still need to know what we are going to do." Shepard Book points out to everyone.

"Your right Shepard." Mal says takes a few minutes to think before saying "Zoe, Jayne, Esposito you will come with River and I to the building, Kate, Ryan you protect Serenity and everyone else because they may come here, Shepard I know you don't like to but you help there two if your willin, Lanie, Doc, Jenny you prepare the infirmary for causality's we don't know how bad there going to be or how bad we're all going to be when we finish, Wash have us ready to go in a minute if needed, Mother, Jim, I want you two armed as a procuration but what I'm going to need you two to do is to help out in any way that is needed. " Mal explains.

"Zoe, Jayne, Esposito get armed and down in the bay in 5 minutes, little Albatross do you need a weapon?" He asks River.

"It would be good." River tells him.

"Jayne get take River to the weapon storage and give her some." Mal tells Jayne.

"Come on." Jayne tells River who follows him out closely followed by Simon and Esposito.

"We'll keep in contact thorough, Wash your in charge of everyone who is left on Serenity." Mal says before turning and leaving himself leaving just Zoe and Wash in the bridge.

"Rick." Kate says running after him. "Be careful." She says giving him a kiss.

"I will be, protect Serenity." Mal says once they break apart. "Trust Wash and the Shepard if it comes to that they know how to handle themselves."

"I will." Kate tells him.

"Place yourselves on the platform above the cargo bay it will give you the best vantage point to everything or everyone who is going to enter the ship." Mal tells Kate. "And remember I love you."

"I love you two Rick." Kate tells him.

"Zoe, come on." Mal yells.

"Right behind you Sir." Zoe says running down to join him.

"Let's go." Mal says as they head down to the cargo bay.

"How are we getting there I'm guessing we can't just walk through town especially when we come back with people who are going to be at least a little hurt?" Esposito asks interested.

"We'll take shuttle 2, there is a docking station attached to the building, it will be simple to dock and get in without being noticed." Mal explains. "Ryan, Kate, Shepard protect Serenity." Mal tells them before leaving.

"Ok let's go." Zoe says as they all head into the shuttle.

"River you going to fly her?" Mal asks.

"Yes." River says going to the controls and taking off.

5 minutes later they are arriving at the building and land in the docking station.

"How do we get to the basement from here?" Esposito asks.

"Follow me." River says.

Mal, Zoe, Esposito and Jayne follow River down a side stair well trussing that she can get them in.

"Someone's coming." River says as they begin to walk through a hallway.

"How long?" Mal asks her.

"30 seconds." She answers.

"What entrance? How many?" Mal asks.

"One person that way" River tells Mal pointing to the door that they were about to head through.

Mal nods and stands right next to the door as the others stand a bit further down in an area that has a shadow so they can't be seen, he stands where he does so the second the person walks through he knocks them out by hitting them over the head with his gun.

"How much further?" Mal asks River as they enter another corridor.

"One more corridor, there are 4 people in the room with them." River tells them.

"Ok River you and I enter first start to take care of the guards then Esposito, Jayne, Zoe you three enter after about a minute." Mal tells the three who nod.

"Let's go." Mal says as they enter the last corridor before the place that Inara, Alexis and Kaylee are being kept.

The stop just before the door River is holding her hand up saying wait, after a few seconds she says "Now."

As soon as she says that her and Mal burst into the room, an engage in fighting with the guards River is able to take care of the first one within a few seconds then the next one, Mal takes care of another and they both attended to the last. Once they are sure that the room is clear they look for Alexis, Kaylee and Inara when they do they see them off to the side together, Alexis has a cut on the side of her face, Kaylee seems to be holding her left wrist with her other hand and Inara is on the floor in front of them unconscious. Seeing them everyone runs over to then them.

"You ok?" Mal asks Alexis and Kaylee while checking for Inara's pulse.

"Were fine Dad, Inara tried to protect us they could tell that was what she was doing so they hurt her." Alexis says almost crying giving her Dad a hug, Mal holds the hug for a few minutes so glad that his little girl is safe and in his arms again.

"It's going to be ok Pumpkin, let's get out of here." Mal says breaking the hug and picking up Inara as he did feel a pulse but it was a little faint.

"Little Kaylee are you ok?" Mal asks her.

"I'm Shinny Captain, my wrist hurts a little but it's fine." Kaylee who is currently being hugged by River tells Mal.

Mal nods knowing that he'll talk to them more when they are back safely on Serenity, but right now they need to move as time in of the essences "River you stay in the front lead the way, then I'll go Zoe you and Alexis be right behind me, Kaylee you and Jayne go behind them and Esposito, you take the back." Mal tells everyone.

"Yes Captain/Sir/Mal/Castle/Dad." Everyone says.

"Little Albatross we good to go?" Mal asks River.

"Yes, we have a five minute window starting…. Now." River says and leaves the room, Mal and the others closely behind her.

Everyone follows River though the same corridor that they entered through but she leads them a different way from the second to last corridor.

"Why we goin a different way?" Mal asks River.

"No one goes through it they won't realises were gone to the guard change at 8pm tonight." River tells Mal as she leads everyone up a different flight of stair and through to the docking bay. Everyone follows them in, Mal looks around making sure that everyone is in before saying to River "GO."

"Wash come in Wash." Mal says over the communicator.

"Mal, did you get them?" He asks.

"Yeah, have the doctors meet us upon arrival, Inara's unconscious, Kaylee's hurt her wrist and Alexis has a deep gash on the side of her face." Mal tell him.

"Can do how far away are you all?" Wash asks.

"About 4 minutes." Mal tells him.

The next for minutes go by in silence no one wanting to talk, Mal is still holding Inara wanting to give her to the doctors as soon as they get back on Serenity, while Alexis and Kaylee are either side of him both looking sad, scared and worried.

"Shuttle two requesting permission for docking." They finally hear River says.

Everyone lets out a sigh of relief knowing that they are home and safe.

Mal is the first one out of the shuttle where Simon, Jenny and Lanie are waiting. "She was unconscious when we found them she has a pulse but it is week." Mal tells Simon, Lanie and Jenny.

"What happened?" Simon ask Kaylee and Alexis as they make their way over to infirmary.

"She was doing whatever she could to make sure they wouldn't hurt us, she was succeeding then they realised what she is doing so they hit her over the head with something hard, I couldn't tell what it was." Kaylee explains as they enter the infirmary.

"I couldn't either." Alexis adds.

"I have an imaging device that should be able to tell me how much damage has been done I'll use that on Inara, Jenny, Lanie you guys cheek out Alexis and Kaylee." Simon tells them as he digs around in one of his cupboards looking for what he is looking for as Mal puts Inara down on the gurney.

"Wash get us out of here." Mal tells him.

"Just got a wave a minute before you got back saying that Thomas's men should be drooping of the cargo in the next 10 minutes." Wash informs Mal.

"Zoe, you deal with it, and as soon as there cargo is on we're gone." Mal tells her.

"What about supplies?" Zoe asks knowing that they need some.

" We'll stop at Liann Jiun, its only three days away and it's not a place we stop very often so no one will be looking for us plus it's a core planet so it will have most the supply's we need." Mal explains after a few minutes of thought.

"Yes Sir." Zoe says before leaving.

"I'll give her a hand with that." Kate says giving Rick a smile as she leaves.

Everyone else sees that Simon, Lanie and Jenny need to work so they leave them Mal, the doctors and nurse, and the three patients.

"The cuts not bad I'll be fine." Alexis says wanting to be with her Dad when Simon finds out what's wrong with Inara.

"Alexis, you and Kaylee will both let Lanie and Jenny check you out then you can do whatever you want." Mal tells his daughter and Kaylee.

The pair don't look happy but reluctantly go over to Jenny and Lanie so they can check them out.

"Doc how bad is she?" Mal asks worried now that he is sure that Alexis and Kaylee are getting cheeked out.

"Give me a minute." Simon says waving something that looks like a 21st century ultrasound machine around and along her head but is actually a portable CT scan that is stranded on all boats.

"Just what I thought." Simon says frowning.

"What? What's wrong?" Mal asks worried.

"She has a very small hemorrhage in her brain." Simon explains.

"Use dumb captain speak Simon, what does that mean?" Mal asks worried and confused at the same time.

"Her brain Is bleeding at the moment it is only minor that there is nothing to be done, I will have to cheek it ever few hours make sure it doesn't increase the amount of blood and if it does then that is bad." Simon explains.

"Will she wake up?" Mal asks completely terrified that he is going to lose his best friend.

"If the bleed doesn't increase the with some time she should wake up." Simon explains.

"How much time?" Mal asks.

"I honestly don't know Mal." Simon says as they feel the familiar feeling of Serenity taking off.

Mal pulls a chair over and sits next to Inara. "Lanie how are those two?" Mal asks also worried about his daughter and Sister.

"There fine, Alexis's cut on her face has been cleaned and properly dressed but she's fine and Kaylee has to where a bandage on her wrist for a couple of days but's she fine two." Lanie tells Mal.

"Good." Mal says smiling at them.

Seeing as they have gotten the all clear from the doctor, Alexis, Kaylee and River pull up chairs and sit will Mal, Alexis right next to him then Kaylee then River.

Lanie smiles at that then leaves the infirmary to where she sees Kate standing.

"Hey." Lanie says to her friend.

"Hay." Kate responds "How are they?" she asks curios.

"Alexis has a cut that is kind of deep but will be ok, Kaylee has a sprained wrist and Inara's brain is bleeding." Lanie tells her friend.

"How bad?" Kate asks.

"At the moment not to bad but that could change." Lanie tells her then asks "You're not jealous that he's sitting there waiting for her to wake up, that they all are?" Lanie ask curious.

"No, there a family I have no right to be jealous about that, and if I am I'm just going to end up hurting them all, maybe losing Rick." Kate explains.

"You think that?" Lanie asks surprised.

"I do. I love Rick that means I have to accept that Inara is his best friend that he cares about her that Alexis does two and that Kaylee and River are his little sisters." Kate explains to Lanie.

"When did that happen?" Lanie asks confused that things have changed since there last conversation.

"Let just say I've seen the how wrong I was with how I was acting." Kate tells Lanie before having one last look at them before leaving as she hates that it took her hurting Alexis for her to realises but her jealousy over Inara was doing no good what so ever.

Lanie is confused but follows Kate away as well.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

At dinner time everyone notices that Mal, River, Kaylee and Alexis aren't there.

"Do you think they're going to come for dinner?" Jenny asks curious.

"No." Kate, Zoe, Simon and Martha answer.

"I'll take them all some food once we finish." Simon tells everyone.

"Is Inara going to be ok?" Martha asks Simon as she really cares about Inara.

"At the moment she's stable it just depends on how she goes and if the bleed gets any bigger." Simon explains.

"Well lets pry that doesn't happen." Shepard Book says.

"Is Inara religious?" Ryan asks curios.

"Yeah, she's buddhist." Zoe tells him.

Everyone sits and talks a little and eats the rest of the dinner. Once everyone is finished Simon with the help of Kate puts what is leftover on the tray to take into them.

"Are you going to come?" Simon asks Kate curios.

"No." Kate says and Simon goes to open his mouth to say something "It's just better if I don't, but let me know if any of them need anything." Kate tells him before going to do the dishes as it is her turn.

"I will, thanks Kate." Simon says as he takes the food down the infirmary. When he enters he sees that all four of them are still in the same place as they were when he left. "I bought food." Simon says putting the food on the side he notices that they all nod as if to say that they herd him but they don't make any movement to go have any.

"I understand that you are worried about Inara but you need to eat I bought you the food here so you won't have to leave her to eat, so please eat." Simon tells them.

"He's right you three have something to eat." Mal tells Alexis, Kaylee and River who all realises that they have no choice so they get up and walk over to food and grab some, Alexis who realises that he Dad isn't making any movement towards the food himself grabs one of the plates that Simon bought in puts some food on it and walks over and gives it to him, "You need to eat to dad."

"Your right pumpkin, thanks." Mal tells his daughter. "Is there any change doc?" Mal asks Simon as he sees that he is looking at Inara's vitals and other things.

"Her vitals are still stable and give me a minute and I will cheek and see if the bleed has increased." Simon says picking up the machine after a few minutes he addresses everyone "The bleed looks about the same size which is good." Simon tells them.

After they eat Mal, Alexis, River and Kaylee go back and sit back in their seats. But now Simon joins them as he pulls a chair over and sits on her other side cheeking her vitals every half an hour. At 11:30 he notices that Alexis, Kaylee and River are showing no sign of waking.

"You three need to get some sleep." Simon tells them as all three of them must be exhausted after they day they have had.

"I'm not tied." River says.

"I'm good here." Kaylee tells her boyfriend.

"I'm not leaving Inara." Alexis tells him as Inara didn't leave her when she was in that bed so she is not going to leave her.

"Alexis you have had a long day you need your sleep y'all do and you know Inara would be telling you all the same thing." Mal tells Alexis, Kaylee and River.

The three sigh and admit that he is right, so after each of them give, Inara, Mal and Simon a hug and say goodnight the leave.

Simon stays for a few more minutes before saying to Mal "I'm going to go make sure they are actually going to bed."

"Thanks." Mal tells him.

"No need to thank me, I care about all three of them and I don't want them to be so worried that they don't look after themselves." Simon explains before leaving.

Mal moves his chair so that he isn't to far away from Inara and has a really good view of her vital sings and prepares himself for a long night.

Every few hours Simon cheeks in, observes Inara's vitals for a little while and cheeks to see if the bleed has increased or not at about 7am Kate enters the infirmary with a coffee.

"Here thought you would need this." She tells Mal handing over the coffee.

"Thanks." Mal tells her taking a sip.

"How is she?" Kate asks curious.

"The same I've been watching her vitals all night and they haven't changed and Simon says the bleed hasn't increased." Mal explains.

"That's good isn't it?" Kate asks.

"Yeah it is, but she still hasn't woken up and Simon isn't sure when that will be." Mal explains putting his head into his hand. Kate sighs and puts her hand on his shoulder wising there was more that she could do to ease his pain. Kate stands there for a little while with her hand on his shoulder trying to give him as much comfort as she possible because despite her feelings for Inara she is Mal's best friend and this must be killing him, she knows it would kill her if it was Lanie or one of the boys on the bed and she was sitting there.

"It's my turn to make breakfast." Kate says after a few minutes realising that she has to go.

"Go, it's not a good idea to leave a boat full of people waiting for food trust me." Mal tells Kate.

Kate smiles gives Mal a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Kate has just finishing putting food on the table when everyone starts to arrive, the all serve themselves and take their seat.

"You three going to eat?" Martha asks when she sees Kaylee, Alexis and River look like they are just going to walk through the dining area and not grab anything.

"We're fine." Alexis says looking at Kaylee and River.

"No you three will sit down and have at least a little bit to eat." Zoe tells the three as she walks in.

"Fine." They says sitting down as it's not that they don't want to eat it's that they are too worried about Inara to.

After they finish eating they head back to the infirmary.

"Has Malcolm been there all night?" Martha asks.

"Every time I went to cheek during the night he was so I'm assuming so." Simon tells her.

"How bad is she?" Zoe asks worried about her friend.

"She's stable the bleed is the same size which is good and bad and all her other vitals are good." Simon explains to everyone.

"What do you mean it's good and bad?" Esposito asks confused.

"It's good that the bleed hasn't gotten any larger but it is bad that it hasn't gotten any smaller, by now I would have hoped that it would have gotten a little smaller." Lanie explains.

"Do you know if she will wake up?" Wash asks not sure if he wants the answer or not.

"Impossible to tell." Simon tells him.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Alexis, Mal, Kaylee, and River spend the day sitting by Inara's bedside not really talking just all watching her heat rate monitor; the others come in every now and then to bring them food, coffee and to see how Inara is doing, sometimes spending a bit of time sitting as well. She goes through the day being in the safe condition, being stable and no change in her bleed.

At midnight Simon comes in to do his next cheek on Inara he see that Alexis, Kaylee and River still there though they look like they are about to fall asleep.

"That's it you three are either going to go get some sleep on your own or I'm going to sedate you." Simon tells them as he could tell that they are exhausted and as Mal has been up for nearly 48 hours he is tempted to sedate him to but he knows that he would never get away with it.

"You wouldn't." Kaylee tells her boyfriend.

"He would." River tells her.

"Dad, tell him he can't." Alexis says doing what she can to try and stop Simon.

"He's right you three need some sleep." Mal tells his daughter Kaylee, and River.

"What about you Captain you have been awake for almost 2 days." Kaylee points out.

"I'm the Captain I am used to staying awake for long periods of time, you three on the other hand a young woman who are still growing and require sleep." Mal tells them "So either you go and get some sleep or I will allow Simon to sedate you." Mal tells the three.

The three frown say goodbye to everyone in the room before leaving.

"You know their right about you needing sleep." Simon tells Mal.

"Don't you even attempt it Doc." Mal says realising where Simon is going with it.

"I'm going to go see if they did head to bed." Simon tells Mal before leaving realising that he has no luck of doing what he wants to do.

Once he is sure that Simon has left Mal pulls his chair right up to Inara's side and says "Nara, please wake up, you know me I don't ask for things much but I'm asking, begging please wake up, coz I just got you back in my life I don't want to lose you again, I'd be lost if I did, not to mention what would happen to Kaylee, Alexis and River they need you two, we all care so much Nara, please wake up." Mal tells her and he would deny it if anyone saw but he does get tears coming to his eyes.

Just like the previous night Mal spends the night watching her vital signs at about 5 am he hears a voice say

"You look horrible." He can't believe it at first then he turns and sees that Inara is awake

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	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

**AN- Sorry about not updating since Thursday but I have been busy the next chapter will be up once I finish it. **

"You're awake." Mal says in complete shock and joy.

"And you're observant." Inara teases.

Mal smiles and surprises Inara by giving her a hug and saying "You scared the crap out of me Nara." Inara is surprised and realises for him to have a reaction like that and admit that he was scared things must have been looking bad.

"How long was I out?" Inara asks curios.

"36 hours or so." Mal answers.

"And you haven't left this room during that time." Inara muses not expecting and answer and she doesn't get one. "Alexis? Kaylee?" she asks worried.

"Their both fine, their currently sleeping Simon threatened to sedate both them and River if they didn't go get some sleep." Mal explains.

"What about you?" Inara asks interested to know if Simon threatened to sedate him two.

"He wanted to, but he realised that he wouldn't get away with it." Mal tells Inara. "Talkin of the doc I better go and get him." Mal says getting up.

"Mal, you can see I'm fine let Simon sleep." Inara tells him.

"He comes in and cheeks on you ever few hours, he told me to let him know as soon as you woke up." Mal explains standing up and getting ready to leave.

"Mal."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for staying with me the whole time." Inara tells him.

"No need Nara, there was no place more important." Mal tells her before leaving to go get Simon.

Mal makes his way to the passenger dorm area where he enters without knocking.

"Doc" Mal says to wake him up.

"What?" Simon asks slowly waking up.

"Inara's awake." Mal tells him before leaving again.

Simon continues to lay in bed for a few seconds before his brain registers what Mal said, and when it does he gets up and runs out.

"How long ago did she wake up?" Simon asks as he enters the infirmary.

"I woke up about 5 minutes ago Simon." Inara tells him and both Simon and Mal she isn't too happy about being referred to as she.

"Sorry Inara." Simon says before getting the machine he uses to cheek how the bleeding is "Ok Inara this is a brain scanner that I have been using to see how much you brain is bleeding." Simon explains.

"My brain is bleeding." Inara says in shock.

'Hadnt really got to the explanation of what had happened yet." Mal explains to Simon.

"Oh, what do you remember?" Simon asks wanting to test to see if her memory is effected and if it is how badly.

"Kaylee, Alexis and I were walking through Ariel we were on our way back her when 3 guys tried to grab us, I could tell that I was there target but Kaylee and Alexis wouldn't let them they fought back and the men gabbed us all. We were taken to a basement, and I was trying to protect Alexis and Kaylee, and that is all I remember." Inara explains her face screwing up in concentration towards the end trying to remember.

"It's ok Inara, That's very good, Kaylee and Alexis said that they realised that you were trying to protect the girls and they hit you over the head with something hard." Simon explains.

"How did you get us out of there?" Inara asks Mal interested.

"The guy who took you sent us a wave saying River for the three of you, I said how did I even know that you were alive, he put Alexis on the camera and she was able to give a code that her Kaylee and River created to tell us where you were." Mal explains.

"They have a code?" Inara asks surprised.

"Apparently." Mal tells her.

"Ok, Inara now I'm going to see how much of the bleed has stopped." Simon tells her running the scanner over her head after about a minute he addresses Mal and Inara.

"Ok you bleed has gone down a lot since I last scanned I'm guessing that that is what lead you to waking up, but as there is still a little bit of blood you won't be leaving the infirmary to that has completely stoped." Simon tells Inara.

"No point arguing is there?" She asks.

"No." Simon says then addresses Mal "You should get some sleep but because I have a feeling that that is not going to happen let me know if there is a change in her vital signs or if she suddenly loses unconscious." Simon tells him before leaving.

"So even though I'm awake you not leaving." Inara asks Mal as he sits back down in the chair.

"You herd the doc, I've got to watch you vital sings." Mal tells Inara.

"He only said that because he knows you not going to leave so you might as well make yourself useful." Inara explains.

"Well it's something I have to do." Mal tells Inara with a cocky smile.

"Fine." Inara says sighing realising that she isn't going to get rid of him. "If you're going to stay you can at least say something, talk to me." Inara says after about 15 minutes of silences.

"Where going to Dyton." Mal says, saying the first thing that comes to his mind.

"That's over a month away." Inara realises.

"Yes, but we have to stop in Liann Jiun to get supplies." Mal explains. "So I'm going to get every to list what they need and I'll go in and get them, the rest of you will stay safely on Serenity." Mal explains.

"What happened to me isn't you fault Mal." Inara says as she can read between the lines of what he is saying and can tell that he is blaming himself

"Isn't it Nara, you were grabbed because it became known that you are my weakness, so you were hurt because of me, so was Alexis, so was Kaylee." Mal explains and Inara can tell that he is betting himself up with blame.

"Mal." Inara says sitting up a little more "It's not your fault, its theirs for coming after you, for what they did to River and those people on Miranda, I blame them not you." Inara tells him.

Mal doesn't respond but just sits in silence.

"Do you blame me for what happened?" Inara asks trying to get him to realises that it is pointless.

"What, no why would I?" Mal asks surprised.

"Because I convinced you to let Alexis, Kaylee and I go for a walk and we were grabbed during that walk." Inara explains simply.

"It not your fault Nara, its only there's." He says then is silent for a little while before saying "I see what you doing." Mal tells her.

"You said it yourself its only their faults, something you should remember." Inara tells him.

Mal doesn't respond the two just sit in silence for a little while until Inara says.

"So over a month to Dyton, that is going to be interesting, I wouldn't be surprised if Jayne and Esposito got into another one of their competitions." Inara tells Mal.

"They better not, I don't want another shotting contest taking place on my ship." Mal says then remembers that there was something that he wanted to talk to Inara about "In three weeks its Alexis's 18th birthday." Mal tells Inara.

"Three weeks." Inara says surprised.

"May the 2nd." Mal tells her.

"And we will still be in the black then." Inara realises guessing where this conversation is going.

"Exactly I was thinking that before we get to Liann Jiun you could talk to Kaylee and River and come up with a few ideas, and then when I stop for supplies I could pick up the stuff we will need." Mal explains.

"How am I going to talk to just Kaylee and River, from what I know as soon as they find out I am awake Kaylee, Alexis and River arent going to leave." Inara tells Mal.

"I'll figure something out." Mal tells her.

The two continue to sit together for a while and around the time that everyone else is getting up for breakfast Inara once again tries to get Mal to go sleep.

"Mal you should go get some sleep, everyone else will be up soon so they can sit with me." Inara tells Mal.

"I'm fine." Mal tells Inara who can hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"You're not invincible Mal, your only human you need sleep like everyone else." Inara tells him

Everyone is arriving in the kitchen when they hear Mal yell.

"I KNOW I'M NOT INVICIBLE INARA, AND THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN PERFECT EXAPMPLES THAT I AM ONLY HUMAN, SIMON WASN'T SAYING IT OUT LOUD BUT I COULD TELL THAT HE WAS WORRIED THAT YOU WERENT GOING TO WAKE UP AND I FELT USELESS, ALL I COUD DO IS SIT HEAR AND WATCH WHY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIVE SEEMED TO BE SLIPPING AWAY, SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SIT HERE UNTILL YOU ARE COMPLETELY OK, "

"Inara's awake." Wash says happily.

"Not too long ago." Simon tells him,

"Inara not awake for too long and them being them are already fighting." Kaylee, says slightly amused as she Alexis and River decided to wait a little bit before they go and see Inara.

Meanwhile back in the infirmary Inara is surprised by Mal's outburst.

"Mal I'm sorry I didn't think about how the last few days would have affected you I was just worried about you." Inara explains.

Mal sighs and stops pacing the room as he has been doing "I know you are Nara, but I'm worried about you two." Mal tells her sitting back down.

"Let's make a deal you don't have to go and get some sleep but go and get some breakfast talk to Alexis, while I talk to Kaylee and River, half an hour that is all I'm asking." Inara tells Mal.

"Fine, just tell them if something's wrong." Mal asks.

"Done, now go have some food." Inara tells Mal.

Mal nods and leaves the infirmary.

Mal makes his way up the dining area and when he enters everyone stops taking and stairs.

"Alexis after breakfast can we talk?" Mal asks his daughter.

"Sure Dad." Alexis tells him.

Everyone eats their breakfast and is about to go their separate ways when Mal says "Everyon write a list of what supplies you each need, I'll pick them up on Liann Jiun." Mal tells everyone.

"By yourself?" Kate asks.

"No other choice, anyone who goes planet side will be in danger I won't risk anyone else." Mal tells Kate.

"I'll go with you sir, you're going to need help collecting it all." Zoe tells Mal.

"Ok." Mal says knowing that she is going to go with him whether he likes it or not.

"Alexis, let's talk." Mal tells his daughter as everyone else leaves the dinning area.

"Sure." She says to her dad then turns to Kaylee and River "Tell Inara I'll be down to see her soon."

"So what's up dad?" Alexis asks taking the seat right next to her father.

"I was worried for you, wondering how you are going with living on a ship, in a new time and with what happened the other day." Mal explains to his daughter.

"It's a lot, that's defiantly true, I'm excited and I love where we are and the people that we are with, I feel like I belong her, about what happened to Inara it scared me Dad I thought I was going to lose her." Alexis explains becoming sad when talking about Inara.

"Oh Pumpkin" Mal says opening his arms so that he can give his little girl a hug, Alexis gets up from her chair and sits on her fathers lap like she has done so many time in the past.

"I was worried two." Mal tells his daughter.

"I know I could tell, I'm so glad she's ok though." Alexis tells her dad.

"So am I." Mal tells his daughter and they both sit there for a little while and then continue to talk about all different stuff spending some real father/daughter time.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

While Mal and Alexis are up talking in the dining area Kaylee and River enter the infirmary to see Inara.

"Hey you two." Inara says as they enter and run up and give her a hug.

"We were so worried." Kaylee tells her.

"I know but I'm ok." Inara tells them.

The three talk and Inara brings up the topic of Alexs's birthday and they come up with an idea and write a list of what they will need Mal to get.

After about 20 minutes Alexis, and Mal enter the infirmary when they heard their voices coming they hid the list and started talking about something else.

"Inara," Alexis says running towards her and giving her a hug "I'm so glad you're ok" Alexis tells her.

"I told you I wasn't going to leave, I attend to stand by that promise." Inara tells Alexis.

Mal takes his usual seat as Alexis, Kaylee and River stand around Inara talking, a couple of hours later Simon enters the infirmary.

"Inara I want to cheek if your brain is still bleeding." Simon tells her.

"Ok." Inara tells him and Simon grabs the machine to test, Mal gets up and stands with the girls so that he can get a better look, Simon does what he usually does but this time when he is finished he gets a smile on his face "there is no more bleeding in her brain." He explains to the joy of everyone in the room.

"So does that mean I can leave the infirmary?" Inara asks curios.

"Yes, but be careful" Simon tells her.

"I'm ok now, so you can go and get some sleep." Inara tells Mal.

"Promise you will go to Simon or Lanie if something is wrong?" Mal asks.

"Yes, I promise." Inara tells him.

"Good." Mal says before giving each of the girls a hug before leaving.

Mal makes his way up to his bunk where he runs into Kate "Hey." She says giving him a kiss.

"Hey."

"How's Inara?" Kate asks interested.

"Good Simon says that the bleed has completely stopped and that she is going to be ok." Mal tells Kate.

"That's great." Kate says happily.

"Yeah it is I don't know what I would have done if she died." Mal tells Kate.

A few days ago Kate would have been extremely jealous about a statement like that but because she has seen how much hurt he jealousy can cause she isn't. "Where you headed now?" Kate asks curious.

"To get some sleep." Mal tells her.

"Good idea, I'll wake you when dinner is ready." Kate tells him giving him one more kiss.

Mal nods and heads to his bunk to get some much needed rest.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Dinner that night is a happy loud affair everyone is happy that Inara is once again with them that they all happily celebrate.

"So can y'all give me your lists of what you need me to get tomorrow?" Mal asks and everyone hands over their lists.

After dinner everyone once again goes their separate ways, once Mal is sure that it is late enough that Kaylee, Alexis and River will be gone Mal goes to Inara's shuttle.

"So did you come up with a plan?" Mal asks as he enters Inara's shuttle.

"We did, get everything on this list." Inara tells Mal handing over a piece of paper.

"What are you planning?" Mal asks confused reading over the list.

"That's a surprise." Inara tells him with a smile.

"From Alexis, not from me." Mal objects.

"You two, just get everything on that list." Inara tells him.

"Come on, no hint?" Mal asks.

"Goodnight Mal."

"I will find out what you are planning Inara." Mal says before leaving her shuttle.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Early the next morning they arrive on Liann Jiun, Mal and Zoe head planet side to collect everything that is on everyone's list and take it back to the ship within 3 hours they are on their way to Dyton, completely stocked on everything they could need for the month long journey.

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	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

Week 1 Day 1

After dinner the day they leave of off Liann Jiun Alexis goes to see Inara in her shuttle, when she enters Inara is lying in bed reading.

"Hey Lexis, come sit down." Inara tells her referring to the spot on the bed.

Alexis nods and walks over and sits in bed next to Inara.

"I'm sorry." Alexis tells her.

"What are you sorry about Baby Girl?" Inara asks confused.

"That I couldn't protect you when those men grabbed us I couldn't stop it, and I couldn't stop them from hurting you when they had us." Alexis explains sadly.

Inara is shocked about that she had no idea that Alexis blamed herself she puts her arm around her and tells her "Listen to me Lexis, none of what happened is you fault ok, it was only mine, I love you and Kaylee so much, you're the daughter I never had and Kaylee is my little sister I'm the one who should be apologising it's my job to protect you and I failed, so don't you dare blame yourself for a second ok, it's not your fault." Inara tells her.

Alexis leans into the hug a bit more and tells Inara "Its not yours either you did protect us, you're the reason we weren't hurt more." Alexis tells her.

"No blaming ourselves." Inara tells Alexis putting the blanket over Alexis as well knowing that it is kind of cold in her shuttle.

"I was so scared that I was going to lose you." Alexis tells Inara.

"Lexis I want you to understand something as long as I have a say in the matter you won't lose me." Inara tells her.

Alexis just smiles then after a few minutes speaks again "The entire time you were out Dad was with you and with every passing hour he got more worried, he was trying to keep a brave face for Kaylee, River and I, I don't think he wanted us to be as afraid that we were going to lose you as he was. But I could tell it was killing him to see you in that bed and know that there was nothing he could do." Alexis explains.

Inara is silent for a few minutes trying to decide on the best words because she is positive that Alexis doesn't know about her and Mal feelings and as Mal is happy and in love with Kate she doesn't want Alexis to know "Your Father is my best friend, I can't speak for him but If I thought I was going to lose him, I would have sat by his bed the whole time, I bet that's what he was doing sitting by my bed to make sure his best friend was going to be ok." Inara explains.

Alexis nods in understanding though she does make a note to talk to Kaylee, and River to find out what her father and Inara were like before he went to the past.

The two sit there for a little while when Alexis yawns " I better be get to bed, night Inara." Alexis says getting up and leaving.

"Sweet Dreams Lexis." Inara tells her.

Alexis smiles and heads to the door but then turns back to face Inara before she leaves and says "You said I'm the daughter you never had, well you're the mother that I never had and I thank you so much for that I love you Inara, and I'll see you in the morning. " Alexis says to her.

"Love you two Lexis." Inara says to her retreating figure.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 2

The following night Ryan, Esposito and Wash are playing cards in the bridge, as it is their turn to take the night shift and stay awake being on alert for dangers.

"Bro did you ever think we would be playing cards in the bridge of a spaceship, hundreds of years in the future?" Esposito asks Ryan as they look out to the black sky.

"I never thought that this was possible let alone that I could be doing It." Ryan tells him.

"I never thought I would be playing cards with two cops who weren't trying to arrested me, I know it's not as big but I wanted to say something." Wash says as the two give him confused looks.

"Guess you have a point." Ryan comments.

"What I can't believe is that the Captain worked with police for 4 years I mean this is a man who has been bound by law 5 times." Wash tells the other two surprised.

"Bound by law?" Esposito asks confused.

"Arrested." Wash says simply.

Ryan and Esposito look at each other they are aware that the work Castle does here isn't legal but they had no idea that he had been arrested so many times.

"He's been arrested more than that he was arrested a couple of times back in our time." Ryan tells him.

"What for?" Wash asks interested winning the current hand that they are playing.

"You know he may not want that story to be public." Ryan tells his partner.

"Even more reason to tell it." Esposito tells him.

"I agree tell it." Wash tells the two.

"So Castle was once arrested because he stole a police horse and road it through the park." Ryan explains.

"What about that would make the Captain not want it to be made public it's a great story." Wash tells them disappointed that it's not any better.

Ryan and Esposito look at each other "He forgot the best part, he was naked at the time." Esposito tells Wash.

Wash is in a state of shock for a little while then laughs unable to believe what the Captain did. "Oh that's good, though I am going to have to discover the perfect moment to reveal that information, Inara and Zoe will never let him hear the end of it." Wash says with a slightly evil smile.

"We have to plan this evilness well, I want revenge for all the pranks Castle has pulled on me throughout the years." Ryan says putting down his cards.

"You in?" Wash asks Esposito.

"You two idiots are going to need someone who has intelligences." Esposito tells them Ryan and Wash both punch Esposito before they begin work on their plan to get back at the captain.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 3

Since her talk with Inara Alexis hasn't been able to have a chance to talk to Kaylee and River alone just the three of them, she is presented with the chance when 2 days after her talk with Inara Kaylee announces that her River and Alexis are having a girls night that night, just the three of them, so after dinner that night the three of them head to Kaylee's bunk where it is just the three of them.

The talk about all different things before Alexis decided that it is time to ask "Kay, Rivi, what happened between my Dad and Inara before he went to the past?" Alexis asks watching them carefully for their reactions.

"That's complicated." Kaylee answers.

"Isn't everything between Dad and Inara complicated, what happened?" Alexis asks interested.

Kaylee is silent for a few seconds trying to find the words for what she wants to say "Ever since Inara joined Serenity there had been tension between her and your Dad, mainly because he didn't approve of her job, as time went on they became friendlier but there was still that tension and I think they liked it like that. They became closer and then they would have a bad fight, at one point not to long after Simon and River joined us Inara left Serenity, don ask me why coz I don't know, but when she was gone you dad was miserable, Zoe even stayed away from him for a time." Kaylee explains.

Alexis sits their surprised by the new information "Do you think she loves him, that Dad loves her?" Alexis asks interested.

"I don't know, I was watching Inara when your Dad was introducing everyone back on earth-that-was and I saw a flicker of pain cross her face when he said that Kate as his girlfriend but she made her face go blank pretty quickly." Kaylee explains.

"Rivi what do you think?" Alexis asks as she realises that River would know the truth.

"She loves him, he loves her, but he loves Kate as well neither of them want to destroy what Kate and Mal have together." River explains simply.

"So basically we just have to wait and see how this turns out and hope that all of their hearts don't get broken in the process." Alexis realises hoping that they don't get hurt in the process by realising that there is nothing she can do.

"Basically." Kaylee says nodding.

"Now we didn't come her to talk about my Dad's love live, where hear to talk about yours, how's things going with Simon?" Alexis asks Kaylee interested after a few minutes silence.

"It's going great." Kaylee says with a smile before she begins to explain how things are between the two of them.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 4

The following night Kate and Rick don't join everyone else at dinner as Rick sets up a candle light dinner in her bunk.

"This is really nice." Mal tells Kate.

"It is, we haven't really had some time just the two of us In a little while." Kate tells Mal as she takes a bite of her food.

"Yeah I know sorry about that, one of the side effects of being Captain, I don't have much time." Mal explains.

"It's odd you act like you have never left, like you have always still been here." Kate tells Mal as it is something that she has noticed in the last few days.

"I guess that it's because part of me never did, Serenity is my home, being Captain of here is my job." Mal tells Kate.

"What about writing did you enjoy doing that?" Kate asks curious.

"Yeah I did, it was something different and I was still able to keep in touch with this world this life in a way." Mal explains with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" Kate asks confused.

"All my stories are based on something that happened here, so through my writing in a way it was like I never left." Mal explains looking around.

"And when you started working at the precinct?" Kate asks wanting to know what the job and by extension her mean to him.

"Working at the precedent gave me live, I was still able to be Mal in some way," Mal explains and Kate gives him a confused look "The longer I spend in the past the more I felt that the Mal part of me was disappearing that I really was Richard Castle the writer that that is who I always was but when I started working at the precinct I was able to be both you see Richard Castle has never learnt to fire a gun but Mal is an expert I got a part of myself back when I stated working with you it gave my life purpose and home again, and I feel in love." Mal explains hoping that Kate understands what he is saying.

"It must have been odd for a man who has been arrested 5 times to work with police and begin to consider a precinct a home." Kate tells him.

"Yeah it was, but I think it helped, In a way I was able to think liked the bad guys." Mal explains then is silent for a few seconds before saying "How do you know how many times I have been arrested?" he asks curios as he hasn't told her.

"Wash told the boys, they told me." Kate explains.

"Of course." Mal says with a smile.

Kate and Mal spend the rest of their dinner having pleasant conversation laughing and having a fun for the night it is like there the only people in the verse.

After dinner they move things to Kate's bed slowly enjoying each other spending the time together that they haven't had time to do lately.

In the early hours of the next morning Kate and Mal are laying in each other's arms slowly drifting off to sleep both thinking that this is perfection.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 5

Like Kate and Mal and the other couples on the ship Kaylee and Simon haven't really had much time to spend together.

"So just the two of us today." Kaylee says to Simon as they sit in his bunk.

"Yes, Lanie and Jenny are covering the infirmary and Alexis and River said they would keep an eye on the engine room." Simon tells his girlfriend trying to get her to relax a bit.

"Alexis and River, they have never been in the engine room without me they won't know what to do." Kaylee objects.

"Not going to work Kaylee, you know as well as I do that River most likely knows everything there is to know about the engine room and Alexis has spent enough time in there with you that she knows what to do." Simon tells her trying to get her to relax.

"Fine." Kaylee says leaning up against him realising that he is right that she can't worry about it.

"So relax today is just about the two of us." Simon tells Kaylee.

Kaylee nods and leans in and kisses him.

"Just the two of us." Kaylee says once they break away. "So Dr Tam, what do you have planned for today?" Kaylee asks interested.

"We I was thinking that we could talk, you know so much about me but I don't know much about you, I don't even know what planet you are from." Simon tell Kaylee.

"You don't, I thought I told you." Kaylee says surprised.

"No you haven't I don't know much about your childhood either." Simon tells her.

"Well we have to fix that." Kaylee says with a smile as she leans on Simon and becomes more comfortable "I was born on Angel where I was raised. I am an only child though for my parents I was all either of them needed, I would fix ships and play sports with my dad and I would go shopping and play with makeup with my mother" Kaylee explains with a smile fondly remembering.

"How are you parents? When was the last time you saw them?" Simon asks interested.

"They're both good, Dad is working when he can same with Ma, the last time I saw them was a few months before you joined us, we had work on Angel, I got to spend some time with my parents it was great." Kaylee explains with a smile.

"That's good, what about other things what were you like in school? What did you like doing when you were home?" Simon asks interested.

Kaylee smiles and them she begins the explanation about her child hood and what else she has done the two spend the day each talking about their lives before they joined Serenity and what they want for the future.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 6

As they do all the time Martha, Jim and Shepard Book are in the dining area playing cards and talking.

"Is it always like this? Spending more time flying than on land?" Jim asks curios putting his card for the hand down.

"Usually, it is vary rare for Serenity to spend large amounts of time planet side." Shepard Book explains to Jim.

"Has Malcolm realised that he has meet you before you joined the crew yet?" Martha asks curious.

"I don't think so, I knew you realised as soon as he introduced us when we got you of whiteful but as you never mentioned it I never bought it up." Shepard Book tells Martha.

"You two have met before?" Jim says surprised.

"Yes." Martha tells him "Malcolm was about 6, he and one of my ranch hands were going ridding, the was a storm and he and Malcolm got separated, Liam the ranch hand arrived =back at the ranch without Mal and I was panicking I was getting a search party ready when Book here road into my ranch with Malcolm on his horse." Martha explains with a smile.

"Where either of you hurt?" Jim asks interested and concerned.

"I was a little, Mal was fine." Shepard Book tells him.

"You were a whole lot more than a little hurt, If I remember correctly you stayed with us for nearly two weeks before you disappeared again." Martha reminds him sounding a little angry about him disappearing.

"I had to leave Martha, I had no choice." Book tells her.

"I understand than now but I didn't back then, would it have killed you to say goodbye?" Martha asks as she wins the hand they are playing.

"No but it could have killed you." Book tells her effectively ending the conversation.

The three sit in silence for a few minutes before Jim decides to talk ending the awkward silence.

"So um, why didn't you talk about this before you left to come to my time?" Jim asks.

"Because during that time he was hurt and Malcolm was worried about keeping me safe so I berely left his site, I didn't want to talk to him with Malcolm around as I realised that he didn't remember and I thought It was best if it was bought up when he was around and I hadn't quite got around to it yet." Martha explains.

"That makes sense, I win." Jim says referring to the hand that they are playing.

"Are you still mad about me leaving Martha, I did what I had to do." Book tells her.

"I'm not mad I understand." Martha reluctantly admits.

The three continue to play their game and have pleasant conversation.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 1 Day 7

The next day Esposito and Jayne are down in the cargo bay working out like they often do.

"So the captain had to follow orders." Jayne says surprised as the Mal he knows doesn't know how to follow orders.

"Yep in the begging he wasn't too good at it." Esposito tells him while he bench presses.

"That's not suprin." Jayne tells him.

After a about a minute they switch places so that Jayne is bench pressing "What about you do you think your going to stay on Serenity for ever?" Esposito asks curios.

"I don't know, for the moment I'm happy." Jayne answers.

"You live in the moment don't you?" Esposito asks.

"Best way to." Jayne tells him.

"I win." Esposito tells Jayne as he helps him with the bar.

"How the goram do you keep beating me?" Jayne asks surprised.

"I was special forces I had to be strong." Esposito tells Jayne

"What's special forces?" Jayne asks Esposito confused.

"A special branch of the military." Esposito answers then realises something that he was meant to talk to Jayne about "Wash, Ryan and I are planning on getting back at Castle for things he has done to us in the past you in?" Esposito asks.

"Of course." Jayne answers not even having to think about it. "What, When and where?" Jayne asks interested.

"I'll let you know we haven't completely worked everything out yet." Esposito explains then looks around the cargo bay "I have an idea how about we race we start here have to run up the stairs at the far end around the platform to the other side touch the wall then back around to the stairs we went up go back down then then back here we'll time see who is fastest." Esposito explains.

"Sounds good who will time?" Jayne asks interested.

"Be back in sec." Esposito says walking into the common area then comes back with Kate. "Kate will time."

"Kate will time what?" She ask confused.

"A race between me and Jayne start here have to run up the stairs at the far end around the platform to the other side touch the wall then back around to the stairs we went up go back down then then back here you time each of us to see who is fastest." Esposito explains.

"Makes sense I'm in." Kate tells them looking at the pair. "Who's first?" she asks.

The two look at each other neither looking at Kate "Rock Paper scissors." Kate says with a sigh realising that neither is going to choose.

The two do rock paper scissors and Jayne wins "Jayne do you wish to go first or second?" Kate asks him.

"Second." He answers.

"Ok Espo. Stand here and when I say go you go." Kate tells him. Esposito gets in to position and when Kate says go he does he does the course and gets back to the sport.

"How long?" He asks.

"I'm not telling you two Jayne does his." Kate tells Jayne who stands in the starting spot and when Kate says go he does and when he gets back Kate announces that "Jayne won by a second." She tells the pair before walking off.

"Good try." Jayne says shaking Esposito's hand.

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	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review. **

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Week 2 Day 1

Once again it is Wash's turn to fly the night shift; he is in the bridge flying Serenity and Zoe is there keeping him company.

"It seems like the captain has never left." Zoe tells Wash.

"It does though it is odd to have more people here." Wash tells his wife.

"It is but it is nice getting to know more people." Zoe tells him. "How are you feeling?" She asks her husband concerned about how he is doing.

"I'm feeling good, better than I have since the incident." Wash tells her.

"That's good baby." Zoe tells her husband relieved.

"You know it's nice, having Alexis hear." Wash tells Zoe.

"It is isn't it, the captain is so different around her it's odd." Zoe agrees.

"I guess kids have that effect on people." Wash comments.

"Does that mean you would consider having kids of your own one day soon?" Zoe asks her husband wanting to know if he has changed his mind at all.

"I'm still not sure babe, the way Mal is with Alexis is great she has changed him for the better, and I do want that someday but I'm just not sure if now is the best time." Wash says to Zoe.

"If we keep waiting for right time we may just be waiting forever, I almost lost you I don't want to keep waiting, our lives tomorrow isn't always guaranteed." Zoe tells her husband wanting him to know how she is feeling.

Wash sits and thinks about everything that his wife is thinking then says to her "Ok, we can start trying."

"Really?" Zoe asks her husband smiling.

"Really, I'm still worried but your right we aren't always guaranteed tomorrow." Wash tells his wife leaning in and giving her a kiss.

"What's going on between Kate and Alexis?" Wash asks once they break apart.

"What do you mean?" Zoe asks in fake confusion.

"Things have been tense between them for a while, and I know you know why, in fact I'm surprised that everyone hasn't noticed." Wash informs his wife.

"There was an incident, one that is never being mentioned to the captain." Zoe tells her husband.

"What happened?" Wash asks interested to know.

"It's a long story but Clift note version is Alexis doesn't trust older females much because in her experience all they do is let her down and leave her, she let Kate in but then she did the same, Alexis and Kate talked her and Kate started to question why Alexis feels she can trust Inara and Alexis basically told Kate that Inara has never given her any reasons not to trust her and then Kate said that Inara was only using Alexis to get close to the captain that's when I interfered and Alexis went running to Inara while I had a few words with Kate and then when I got to Inara's shuttle and explained what happened to her Inara went and had a few words with Kate, that's why things are tense between Alexis and Inara." Zoe explains to her husband.

"Wow, I can't believe Kate said that it's obvious to anyone who is paying the slightest amount of attention that Inara loves Alexis like a daughter." Wash says surprised.

"I know." Zoe tells her husband.

Zoe and Wash sit in silence for a few more minutes before Zoe says "I'm heading to bed I'll see you in the morning.

"Night Babe." Wash says giving his wife a kiss.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 2 Day 2

Lanie is in the common area with Esposito, Ryan, Jenny, Martha, Jim, and Shepard Book listening to Zoe, Wash, Inara, Jayne and Simon tells stories when she notices that Kate isn't here, she knows that Castle in in the bridge spending some time flying and Alexis, Kaylee and River are off somewhere doing whatever it is that they do but she has no idea where he best friend is.

Excusing herself and getting up Lanie heads to Kate's dorm where she is assuming the detective is.

"Hey why don't you come down and join us?" Lanie asks once she gets up to Kate's bunk.

"Thanks, But I feel like being alone." Kate tells her best friend.

"What's going on with you?" Lanie asks curious as she climbs up the rest of the ladder enters Kate's bunk and closes the door behind her.

"Nothing's wrong I just feel like spending some time alone." Kate tells her best friend.

"There is more than that and don't you lie to me girl, for a couple of weeks you have been spending more and more time alone, and you weren't fussed when Castle was spending all his time with Inara when she was hurt and I don't think you and Alexis have said a word to each other in a while. What's going on with you?" Lanie asks sitting down on the end of Kate's bed.

"I made Alexis cry." Kate tells her best friend.

"You made Alexis cry how?" Lanie asks in complete shock.

"The night before Inara was hurt, I found Alexis sitting in the common area so I decided to ask her why it's been a while since she actually talked to me she told me that last summer after I was hurt when I didn't call or talk to Castle for months that I didn't just abandon him that I abandoned her two and that hurt her and she wasn't sure if she could trust me." Kate explains to her best friend.

"Oh I'm sorry Kate." Lanie tells her best friend knowing that Kate does care about Alexis so those words must have hurt. "What happened after that there must be more to the story if you made her cry?" Lanie asks her best friend curious as to what else happened.

"I asked Alexis why she trusts Inara if she doesn't trust me and she said because Inara hasn't given her any reason not to trust her then I said something stupid I told Alexis that Inara was only being nice to her to her to get close to Castle next as soon as I said it I regretted it but it was too late Alexis was crying and Zoe who had apparently been listening to the whole conversation was down there in a second reassuring Alexis that it wasn't true." Kate explains still feeling guilty for what she said.

"That would defiantly explain it." Lanie says surprised "I'm guessing Zoe had a few interesting words for you." Lanie comments knowing how protective of Mal Zoe is.

"Yep so did Inara once she found out what happened." Kate tells her best friend.

"What did Inara say?" Lanie asks interested.

"She threatened me told me that whatever I feel about her friendship with Mal that I am to take it out on her, and that I was to stay away from Alexis until she came to me and if I ever hurt Alexis in any way that I would regret it." Kate explains.

"I'm assuming Castle doesn't know about any of this." Lanie realises as if he did know things would be a lot more interesting on Serenity.

"No Inara and Zoe both said that they won't tell him before they both want him to be happy and he's happy with me." Kate explains.

"Does anyone else know?" Lanie asks.

"Judging by the fact that they have been giving me the cold shoulder I'm assuming that Kaylee and River know." Kate guesses.

"That's not surprising them two and Alexis are inseparable." Lanie points out.

"Yeah, so that's why I wasn't jealous about Rick spending time when Inara was hurt if I continue to be jealous about that I'm just going to hurt more people and I'm up here because every time I see Alexis I'm reminded of how much I hurt her." Kate explains.

"Alexis is off somewhere with Kaylee and River your coming downstairs." Lanie tells her best friend pulling her up and almost dragging her to the elevator.

"Inara and Zoe are down there though." Kate reminds her friend when they reach the ladder.

"You're going to have to get use to them Kate." Lanie tells her friend climbing down the ladder.

**Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle Firefly/Castle **

Week 2 Day 3

Most nights you can find Alexis sitting in the common area reading Simon's encyclopaedia that's where he grandmother finds her the next night.

"Hey honey." Martha says sitting down next to her granddaughter.

"Hey Gram." Alexis says putting the blanket that she has around herself around both of them.

"You still reading Simon's medical book." Martha realises.

"Yep I'm almost ready for my first test." Alexis tells her grandmother proudly closing the cover of the cortex.

"That's great." Martha tells Alexis.

"Gram." Alexis says not sure if she should ask what she wants to ask.

"Yes?" Martha asks her in a tone of voice telling her that it is ok to ask.

"What happened between Dad and Inara before he came to the past?" Alexis asks her grandmother.

"You don't ask the easy questions do you kid." Martha informs her granddaughter with a smile.

"And?" Alexis asks her grandmother curious as to whether or not she is going to talk.

"Your father and Inara have one of the oddest relationships I have ever seen but it's one of the most amazing and I only saw them together in the short time between when I was rescued of white full and when we came to the future. Inara always made sure I wasn't alone when Malcolm, Zoe and Jayne went off on jobs and we talked a lot. I have never seen your father as comfortable around someone as he is around Inara." Martha begins to explain but gets cut of by Alexis.

"What about Kate?" Alexis asks curious.

"It's close but when your father is around Kate it's almost like he is holding something back at first I thought it was because of the secrete he keeps but now I'm not so sure, but when he is around Inara even if he is in the middle of a screaming match with her he is himself." Martha explains to her granddaughter.

"He's in love with both of them isn't he?" Alexis asks her grandmother wanting to know if she agrees with what she suspects.

"I'm not surprised that you picked up on that, yes he does love both of them." Martha tells her granddaughter.

"Who do you think he belongs with?" Alexis asks her grandmother curious as to whether or not she has an opinion on that topic.

"I honestly don't know, I think the only person who does know who your father belongs with is your father." Martha tells her granddaughter. "What about you?" Martha asks her granddaughter curious if she has some opinion on the matter.

"I can't answer that Gram, all I want is for dad to be happy whoever makes him more happy than that's who I want him to be with." Alexis tells her grandmother.

Martha smiles at her granddaughter "Does the fact that you have been acting cold towards Kate for a couple of weeks have something to do with that?" Martha asks her granddaughter.

"Dad hasn't noticed has he?" Alexis asks worried.

"No he hasn't but if you continue to act the way you have been he is going to what happened?" Martha asks her granddaughter.

"Let's just say that Kate broke any trust and any future trust I could possibly have in her." Alexis says moving the blanket of herself "Night Gram." Alexis says bending over and giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading to her bed.

Martha frowns and wonders just what happened, she makes a note to talk to Kate to find out what happened before heading to bed herself.

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I know I usually do a week a chapter but this is different for two reasons 1 I wanted to get this chapter out quicker and 2 the second reason will become clear in future chapters.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Thank you to everyone who has added to alerts/reviewed. Please review.

**AN:** Thank you so much to everyone who has read reviewed and or added to alerts. I'm sorry that this has taken so long to get out I know you would rather get on with the story than listen to my excuses so enjoy

**AN2:** This was meant to be a longer chapter but when I was reminded just how long it has been since I last updated I decided that it would be better if I once again divide the chapter into smaller parts to get it out quicker.

Week 2 Day 4

After everyone goes to bed for the night Mal is sitting at the kitchen table with all his weapons spread out over the table. He is working on clearing each one of them individually when he hears footsteps beindhand him. Figuring that it is just somebody grabbing something to eat or drink he ignores whoever it is until Esposito comes and sits down next to him.

"Awesome collection bro." Esposito tells him.

"Thanks, I figured that no one would have cleaned them while I was gone so I better." Mal tells him.

"Need a hand?" Esposito asks curious staring at the weapons impressed.

"Help yourself."

Esposito happily sits down picks up one of the gun and starts to clean it. The two men work in silence for a while until Esposito finally talks. "So you must have missed this place a hell of a lot while you were gone." He realises as he has watched Castle since he has been here and he looks like he is at home and more comfortable than he did at the Police Station which is saying something because if he hadn't seen him in both places he would have thought that Castle belonged at the station.

"I never thought I would be able to come back here, I didn't let myself. This place is everything I am but I have spent so long becoming someone else, it's good to be me again." Mal explains.

"So are you saying that the Castle you was a complete lie?" Esposito asks not being able to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Not a complete lie. The man you knew me to be I am him. There are times when I think I am more him than the version of myself that belongs here but then I realises that I am both." Castle explains wanting Esposito to understand that if anything he is neither Castle or Mal but a combination of both.

"Interesting." Esposito says before turning back to the gun he was clearing. "Kate wanted me to talk to you." Esposito revealed.

"Oh yeah, what about?" Castle asks surprised.

"The nightmares you have been having, apparently since you have been back you have been having them quite often." Esposito explains.

"And she figured that since you have seen war as well I might talk to you." Rick realises.

"Yep, and you know her she will kill me if I don't at least ask so what are they about?" Esposito asks interested

"Just nightmares about the war, I'm sure you have them as well Kate needn't have to worry." Mal says a little annoyed at Kate for going to Esposito instead of talking to him until he realises that every time Kate has tried to talk to him about his dreams he has shut her down.

"Yeah I do." Esposito responds as he gets nightmares himself about his time in war and prefers not to talk about them. Feeling that he has done what Kate asked him to he doesn't ask any more questions and the two men continue to clean Mal's impressive gun collection in silence.

Week 2 Day 5

The following night when Mal does his nightly check on Alexis he unsurprisingly finds her laying in her bed reading.

"Just come in to check on you." Mal says walking over and sitting on the edge of his daughter's bed.

"I'm good." Alexis tells her father "I really like it here Dad."

"I'm glad to hear that." Mal tells his daughter. Truly meaning what he is saying as he is glad that his daughter loves the place that was his home for so long.

"Inara is really great; I can see why you named me after her." Alexis tells her father.

"Yeah that she is." Mal responds with a smile and a slight dazed look in his eyes.

"I feel like for the first time ever I have someone besides you that I can really talk to, someone that will listen and be there for me, and Dad it feels amazing." Alexis tells her father happily with a huge radiant smile.

"You can always talk to me, you know that right." Mal says to his daughter.

"Yeah I do, but sometimes I need to talk to someone who isn't you and I haven't had that before." Alexis tells her father.

"What about Kate?" Rick asks remembering that Alexis has talked to Kate before.

"That was different." Alexis says not wanting to talk about Kate because of what happened "Kate's nice and everything but it was awkward talking to her. I feel comfortable talking to Inara I know that's odd because I haven't known her that long but I do." Alexis explains.

"Well I'm glad that you have someone you can talk to." Mal tells his daughter.

"So before you came to the past what was it like here?" Alexis asks her father curious attempting to suitable get the topic of conversation towards what her father's relationship with Inara was like before he went to the past without actually saying it.

"The same as it is now, a bit less crowded but the same." Mal responds.

'Ok new approach Alexis.' Alexis thinks to herself. "What are you Inara, Kay and Rivi planning?" Alexis asks her father hoping that by using this tactic she can still get the conversation to the topic she wants it to.

"I have no idea." Mal tells his daughter.

"I know you are planning something Dad and if I had to guess I would say it is something to do with my birthday next week." Alexis tells her father as she has noticed the Inara, Kaylee and River at least have been talking about something then stoping when she is near and if she had to guess she would say it has something to do with her birthday.

"I honestly have no idea what you mean." Mal tells Alexis and he isn't lying because he does have no idea what Inara, River and Kaylee are planning.

"Ok translation, you know they are planning something but you have no idea what." Alexis realises.

"Good night pumpkin." Mal says ending the conversation and he gives her a kiss on the head then leaves the room.

"Night Dad." Alexis say to her father's retreating figure. Once her father has actually left the room she puts Simon's encyclopaedia down and begins to try and think of and plan ways for her to get her Dad to talk to her about his feelings for Inara.

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